Game 21: ULM (11-9, 4-4 Sun Belt) vs. APPALACHIAN STATE (7-14, 2-6 Sun Belt)
Saturday, Feb. 2 | 2 p.m. ET
Boone, N.C. | Holmes Center (8,375)
ULM Basketball Notes: Game 21 vs. Appalachian State
STORYLINE –
Following a 92-81 loss at Coastal Carolina on Thursday, ULM (11-9, 4-4 Sun Belt) will attempt to earn a split on its Sun Belt road swing at Appalachian State on Saturday, Feb. 2 at 2 p.m. ET. Last season, App State snapped a three-game losing streak in the series by winning the only regular-season meeting, 79-73, in Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
ULM's starting lineup features four double-figure scorers, in 6-foot-1 guard Daishon Smith (20.7 points per game; 62 3-pointers), 6-2 guard Michael Ertel (15.1 ppg., 44 3-pointers), 6-6 forward Travis Munnings (13.7 ppg., 7.3 rpg.) and 6-4 guard JD Williams (12.4 ppg.).
THE STARTING FIVE –
• ULM ranks among the NCAA Division I leaders in free-throw percentage (third at .785), 3-point field-goal percentage (16th at .391), 3-point field goals made (21st at 9.9 per game) and turnovers (32nd at 11.3 per game).
The Warhawks lead the Sun Belt in three statistical categories: 3-point field goals made per game, free throw percentage and assist-to-turnover radio (1.2). ULM also ranks among the league leaders in 3-point field-goal percentage (second), scoring offense (fourth at 77.3 points per game), scoring margin (fourth at +4.3 ppg.), scoring defense (fifth at 73.0 ppg.), turnover margin (fifth at +1.4) and assists (sixth at 13.6 pg.).
• Three-point field goals have accounted for 38 percent of ULM's scoring (198 3-pointers made; 594 of 1,546 points) in 2018-19. The Warhawks have made double-digit 3-pointers in 10 games, including six of their first eight Sun Belt games. ULM tied the school single-game record with 17 3s in the 2019 conference opener against Little Rock. (ULM also made 17 3-pointers in a 90-82 overtime win at Georgia State on Feb. 10, 2018). The Warhawks have attempted at least 20 3-pointers in 16 of their first 20 games.
• ULM is 8-1 this season when limiting its opponents to 69 points or less. The Warhawks have held four opponents to a field-goal percentage below 39 percent. Only five opponents (Ole Miss .524, LSU .525, Little Rock .620, South Alabama .527 and Coastal Carolina .529) have managed to shoot better than 50 percent from the field against ULM.
Through the first 20 games, ULM has outscored its opponents, 340-244, from the free-throw line.
• ULM has compiled an 11-6 record with senior guard Daishon Smith in the starting lineup (sidelined for three games with a hamstring injury; DNP in road games at Texas, Michigan State and Tennessee Tech). Smith ranks among the NCAA Division I leaders in 3-point field goals made (12th at 3.65 per game), free-throw percentage (23rd at .884), 3-point field-goal percentage (27th at .440), scoring (30th at 20.7 points per game) and steals (38th at 2.12 pg.). He leads the Sun Belt in 3-point field goals made per game, 3-point field-goal percentage and free-throw percentage. Smith also ranks among the league leaders in scoring (third), steals (third), assist-to-turnover ratio (fifth at 1.8), assists (eighth at 3.6 pg.), field-goal percentage (ninth at .468) and minutes played (ninth at 32.6 pg.).
The Jacksonville, Florida, native has scored in double figures in 16 games, including nine 20-point outings. Smith has scored in double figures in 13-straight games, averaging 21.8 points during that span. He is averaging 23.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists in Sun Belt play.
• With his offensive rebound with 1:17 left in the first half against the Ragin' Cajuns, ULM senior forward Travis Munnings became just the fourth player in school history to score at least 1,000 career points and collect at least 800 career rebounds.
Members of ULM's 1,000/800 Club include Calvin Natt (1975-79: 2,581 points and 1,285 rebounds), Henry Steele (1968-72: 1,933 points and 1,161 rebounds), Bill Snellings (1966-71: 1,215 points and 1,093 rebounds) and Munnings (2015-19: 1,464 points and 828 rebounds).
LOOSE BALLS –
Five of ULM's last six games have been decided by six points or less (2-3 record). ... ULM has led at the half in 13 of its 20 games and outscored its opponents, 731-652, in the first half this season. ... The Warhawks have made 20 or more free throws in eight games. ULM has shot better than 80 percent from the free-throw line in 11 of 20 games, including seven of its last nine contests. … ULM ranks among the NCAA Division I leaders in fewest fouls committed (No. 21 at 316). The Warhawks have been whistled for fewer fouls than their opponents in 14 of 20 games. … ULM ranks second in the Sun Belt in both average home attendance (2,673 per game) and attendance for league home games (3,724 avg.).
THE LAST TIME OUT –
Coastal Carolina 92, ULM 81 (Jan. 31, 2019, in Conway, S.C.): Zac Cuthbertson and DeVante' Jones combined for 54 points to lead Coastal Carolina to a 92-81 victory over ULM Thursday as the Chanticleers won their fourth-straight Sun Belt Conference game.
Coastal Carolina (11-9, 5-3 Sun Belt) raced out to a 30-10 lead on Tyrell Gumbs-Frater's 3-pointer with 9:07 left in the first half. The Chanticleers hit nine of their first 14 shots from the field, including 6-of-10 from 3-point range. By comparison, ULM (11-9, 4-4) opened 4-of-16 from the floor, including 0-for-8 from behind the 3-point arc.
ULM answered with a 12-0 run with Brandon Newman connecting on a 3 from the left corner, Jontray Harris converting a traditional 3-point play and Daishon Smith burying back-to-back 3s as the Warhawks pulled to within eight at 30-22 with 6:35 to play in the opening half. Coastal Carolina led by 11 at the intermission, 46-35.
The Chanticleers opened the second half with a 15-6 spurt and matched their largest lead at 61-41 on Cuthbertson's trey from the top of the circle with 14:36 remaining. A 3-pointer from Travis Munnings from the right corner sparked a 13-2 run as ULM cut its deficit to 63-54 on Smith's pull-up jumper in the lane with 10:53 on the clock. Trailing 76-66, JD Williams hit a 3-pointer from the left wing and Munnings scored off an offensive rebound as the Warhawks rallied to within five at 76-71 with 2:50 to play. Amidou Bamba's left-handed layup gave Coastal Carolina an 80-73 advantage with 1:55 left. The Chanticleers converted 10-of-14 free-throw attempts over the final 1:34 to ice the game.
Cuthbertson scored 19 of his game-high 29 points in the second half while Jones netted a career-best 25 points and matched his career high with seven assists. The Chanticleers also got 12 points off the bench from Gumbs-Frater.
For the game, Coastal Carolina shot 53 percent (27-of-51) from the floor, including 13-of-29 3-pointers.
Four Warhawks scored in double figures, led by Munnings who tossed in 16 second-half points and finished 23, followed by Smith who poured in 21, Michael Ertel who added 15 and Williams who contributed 11.
APPALACHIAN STATE SCOUTING REPORT –
After dropping its first six Sun Belt games, Appalachian State (7-14 overall, 2-6) has recorded back-to-back league wins at Little Rock (77-73) and against the Ragin' Cajuns (104-77) Thursday night. Four of the Mountaineers' conference losses have come by a combined total of 10 points. Overall, App State has lost eight games by eight points or less.
The Mountaineers are 6-2 in the Holmes Center this season while averaging 92.8 points per game.
App State's starting lineup features three double-figure scorers, in 6-foot-5 guard Ronshad Shabazz (18.4 ppg., 48 3-pointers), 6-2 guard Justin Forrest (15.8 ppg., 41 3-pointers) and 6-9 forward Isaac Johnson (10.1 ppg., 9.0 rpg.).
Shabazz ranks among the Sun Belt's Top 10 in free-throw percentage (third at .810), 3-point field goals made (fifth at 2.3 pg.) and scoring (eighth at 15.8 ppg.). He has produced 11 20-point games this season, including a career-high 37 against Ball State. Shabazz ranks as the second-leading scorer in App State history with 1,868 career points.
Forest has scored in double figures in 15 games, including the last five in a row while averaging 18.4 points per game during that stretch.
Johnson, who leads the Sun Belt in rebounding, has recorded six double-doubles this season. He posted 10 points and 14 rebounds in Thursday's lopsided win over ULL.
As a team, App State ranks among the Sun Belt leaders in scoring offense (third at 81.6 ppg.), 3-point field goals made (fourth at 9.2 pg.), free-throw percentage (fifth at .732), 3-point field goals made (sixth at 8.4 pg.), scoring margin (sixth at +2.5 ppg.), 3-point field-goal percentage (sixth at .357) and turnover margin (sixth at +1.3 pg.).
ULM/APP STATE SERIES NOTES –
Saturday's game marks just the seventh meeting between ULM and Appalachian State. The Warhawks lead the all-time series, 4-2, including a 2-1 record in games played in the Holmes Center.
Last season, App State snapped a three-game losing streak in the series by winning the only regular-season meeting, 79-73, in Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
THE LAST MEETING –
Appalachian State 79, ULM 73 (Jan. 6, 2018, in Monroe, La.): Appalachian State shot 59 percent (16-of-27) from the field in the second half to erase an 11-point deficit and claim a 79-73 road win at ULM. The Mountaineers outscored ULM, 13-2, over the final 3:52.
The Warhawks jumped out to a 13-5 lead on a 3-pointer from Travis Munnings with 13:20 left in the first half. ULM matched its biggest lead of the first half at 21-13 on a 3-pointer from Marvin Jean-Pierre. App State answered with a 16-7 run and took its first lead at 29-28 on a 3-pointer from Isaac Johnson with 4:27 to play in the opening half. The Warhawks responded with a 7-0 spurt to build a 35-29 lead on Michael Ertel's 3-pointer with 2:05 remaining in the first half. The Mountaineers pulled to within three at the break, 37-34, on Craig Hinton's jumper with :02 left.
A layup by Sam Alabakis gave ULM its largest lead at 54-43 with 14:48 to play in the second half. App State (8-9, 3-1 Sun Belt) went on a 19-9 run and cut its deficit to 63-62 when Ronshad Shabazz made 1-of-2 free throws with 7:24 left. The Warhawks pushed its lead back to five at 71-66 on Jean-Pierre's layup with 4:04 remaining. Griffin Kinney's dunk ignited App State's decisive 13-2 spurt, and the Mountaineers took the lead for good at 72-71 on a pair of free throws from Isaac Johnson with 2:10 on the clock. App State made four of its last five field-goal attempts while ULM (7-8, 1-3) went 1-for-7 from the floor over the last 3:52.
Shabazz hit 8-of-13 shots from the field, including 4-of-6 3-pointers, and finished with a game-high 22 points. Three other Mountaineers scored in double figures, as Justin Forrest added 14 points, O'Showen Williams 12 and Hinton 11.
Four Warhawks reached double figures in scoring, led by Harris who netted a season-high 17 points, to go along with a career-high six rebounds and five assists. ULM also got 15 points from Ertel, 13 from Munnings and 11 from Jean-Pierre.
The Warhawks outrebounded App State, 37-26.
THE LAST MEETING IN BOONE –
ULM 75, Appalachian State 64 (Feb. 25, 2017, in Boone, N.C.): Travis Munnings scored 19 of his game-high 21 points in the second half to lead ULM to a 75-64 win over Appalachian State in the Holmes Center.
App State put together a 14-4 run midway through the first half to build at 14-point lead at 27-13 on a 3-pointer from Tyrell Johnson. A jumper by Marvin Jean-Pierre sparked a 9-3 spurt as the Warhawks pulled to within 30-22 at halftime.
Munnings accounted for eight points during a 10-1 run and his 3-pointer with 11:40 left in the second half gave ULM the lead for good at 43-42. The Warhawks outscored the Mountaineers, 15-6, over the final 3:30.
Munnings hit 8-of-11 field-goal attempts, including 3-of-4 3-pointers. ULM also got 16 points from Nick Coppola and 14 from Sam McDaniel.
The Warhawks shot 50 percent (26-of-52) from the field, including 57 percent (17-of-30) in the second half, and outrebounded App State, 40-36.
Ronshad Shabazz scored 20 points to pace the Mountaineers.
MUNNINGS JOINS EXCLUSIVE 1,000/800 CLUB –
With his offensive rebound with 1:17 left in the first half against the Ragin' Cajuns, ULM senior forward Travis Munnings became just the fourth player in school history to score at least 1,000 career points and collect at least 800 career rebounds.
Members of ULM's 1,000/800 Club include Calvin Natt (1975-79: 2,581 points and 1,285 rebounds), Henry Steele (1968-72: 1,933 points and 1,161 rebounds), Bill Snellings (1966-71: 1,215 points and 1,093 rebounds) and Munnings (2015-19: 1,464 points and 828 rebounds).
In addition, Munnings became the 20th player in Sun Belt history to reach the 800-rebound career milestone.
DIALED IN FROM 3-POINT RANGE –
Three-point field goals have accounted for 38 percent of ULM's scoring (198 3-pointers made; 594 of 1,546 points) in 2018-19. The Warhawks have made double-digit 3-pointers in 10 games, including six of their first eight Sun Belt games. ULM tied the school single-game record with 17 3s in the 2019 conference opener against Little Rock. (ULM also made 17 3-pointers in a 90-82 overtime win at Georgia State on Feb. 10, 2018). The Warhawks have attempted at least 20 3-pointers in 16 of their first 20 games.
In 2017-18, ULM set a school single-season record with 288 3-pointers made (previous record: 287 made, 2006-07).
ULM TOUGH TO BEAT WHEN SHOOTING 50 PERCENT OR BETTER FROM THE FIELD –
ULM is 14-1 in its last 15 games when shooting 50 percent or better from the field, with its only loss coming in the 2017-18 regular-season finale against Arkansas State (.509). The Warhawks are a perfect 5-0 when hitting 50 percent or better from the floor in 2018-19, with wins over Millsaps (.516), Northwestern State (.509), Nicholls State (season-best .559), Coppin State (.500) and Little Rock (.556).
WARHAWKS START 9-1 IN FANT-EWING COLISEUM –
ULM is 9-1 at home this season, averaging 84.3 points per game while shooting 47 percent (275-of-585) from the field including 40 percent (106-of-266) from behind the 3-point arc. In addition, the Warhawks have limited their opponents to 70.9 points per game while shooting at a 44-percent clip (258-of-581) from the floor, including 35 percent (74-of-209) on 3-pointers. ULM also has a turnover margin of +4.8 per game at home.
The Warhawks have frequently gotten off to quick starts at home, outscoring their opponents by 100 points in the first half, 398-298. In its 10 home games, ULM has trailed for 31:31 out of a possible 400 minutes. The Warhawks trailed Troy for 10:46 in the first half of last Thursday game before taking a 31-27 lead at the intermission. Despite leading for just 8:27 of last Saturday's game, South Alabama ended ULM's nine-game home winning streak, 78-72, thanks to a 12-6 run over the final 2:07.
RICHARD REACHES COACHING MILESTONES –
With an 80-63 victory over Coppin State on Dec. 21, Keith Richard reached two coaching milestones by recording his 100th win at ULM and his 250th career win.
WARHAWK STAT LEADERS –
Double-figure scoring games (67): Michael Ertel 16, Daishon Smith 16, JD Williams 14, Travis Munnings 13, Jontray Harris 3, Brandon Newman 2, Andre Washington 2, Tyree White 1. Opponents: 65.
20-point games (19): Daishon Smith 9, Michael Ertel 5, Travis Munnings 4, JD Williams 1. Opponents: 13.
30-point games (2): Travis Munnings 1, Daishon Smith 1. Opponents: 1.
40-point games (1): Daishon Smith 1. Opponents: None.
Double-figure rebounding games (7): Travis Munnings 3, Andre Washington 3, Jontray Harris 1. Opponents: 11.
Double-doubles (1): Travis Munnings 1. Opponents: 10.
Games leading ULM in scoring: Daishon Smith 10, Travis Munnings 6, Michael Ertel 3, JD Williams 2.
Games leading ULM in rebounding: Travis Munnings 10, Andre Washington 7, JD Williams 3, Jontray Harris 1, Tyree White 1.
Games leading ULM in assists: Daishon Smith 11, Michael Ertel 6, Travis Munnings 5, Brandon Newman 3, Jontray Harris 2, JD Williams 2.
2018-19 ULM STARTING LINEUPS –
Different Starting Combinations (5):
Ertel, Smith, Williams, Munnings, Washington: 13 (9-4)
Ertel, Smith, Williams, Munnings, T. White: 3 (1-2)
Ertel, Harris, Williams, Munnings, T. White: 2 (0-2)
Ertel, Smith, Harris, Munnings, Washington: 1 (1-0)
Ertel, Harris, Williams, Munnings, Washington: 1 (0-1)
2018-19 WARHAWK STATISTICAL TRENDS –
Games played in Fant-Ewing Coliseum: 9-1
Games played on the road: 2-8
Games played in November: 3-3
Games played in December: 4-2
Games played in January: 4-4
When leading at halftime: 10-3
When trailing at halftime: 1-6
When tied at halftime: 0-0
When shooting .500 or better from the field: 5-0
When shooting less than .500 from the field: 5-9
When opponent shoots .500 or better from the field: 2-4
When opponent shoots less than .500 from the floor: 8-5
When outrebounding opponent: 6-3
When outrebounded by opponent: 4-6
When rebounding totals are equal: 1-0
When hitting more free throws than opponent: 9-4
When hitting fewer free throws than opponent: 1-3
When hitting the same number of free throws as opponent: 1-2
When committing fewer turnovers than opponent: 9-1
When opponent commits fewer turnovers: 2-7
When turnover totals are equal: 0-1
When ULM scores 50-59 points: 0-2
When ULM scores 60-69 points: 0-2
When ULM scores 70-79 points: 4-4
When ULM scores 80-89 points: 3-1
When ULM scores 90-99 points: 4-0
When opponent scores 50-59 points: 3-0
When opponent scores 60-69 points: 5-1
When opponent scores 70-79 points: 1-4
When opponent scores 80-89 points: 1-3
When opponent scores 90-99 points: 1-1
Games decided by five points or less: 2-2
Games decided by 6-10 points: 3-3
Games decided by 11-19 points: 3-2
Games decided by 20 points or more: 3-2
Last five games: 2-3
Last 10 games: 5-5
Largest deficit overcome to win: 6 (2x) (8-2 vs. Troy, Jan. 24); (6-0 vs. Little Rock, Jan. 3)
Largest lead surrendered in a loss: 14 (53-39 at Georgia Southern, Jan. 10)
