Michael Ertel dribble vs ULL 2020
Siddharth Gaulee
77
Louisiana LA 11-17,6-11 Sun Belt
83
Winner La.-Monroe ULM 9-18,5-13 Sun Belt
Louisiana LA
11-17,6-11 Sun Belt
77
Final
83
La.-Monroe ULM
9-18,5-13 Sun Belt
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Louisiana LA 43 34 77
La.-Monroe ULM 41 42 83

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Balanced Scoring Attack Leads ULM to 83-77 Win Over Rival Ragin’ Cajuns

MONROE, La. – Michael Ertel scored a game-high 22 points to lead all five ULM starters in double figures as the Warhawks earned a regular-season series split against the Ragin' Cajuns with an 83-77 victory Saturday (Feb. 22) afternoon before a season-best crowd of 3,363 at Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
 
ULM (9-18, 5-13 Sun Belt), which scored over 80 points for only the second time this season, has now won three of its last four conference games.
 
Chris Efretuei scored ULM's first six points and eight of the first 13 as the Warhawks jumped out to a 13-5 lead. Erie Olonade's 3-pointer from the top of the circle sparked a 10-4 spurt as ULM built a 10-point advantage at 28-18 on Tyree White's 3 from straightaway with 9:25 remaining in the first half. The Ragin' Cajuns answered with a 19-5 run and took a 37-33 lead on Kristian Lafayette's layup with 3:52 on the clock. The Warhawks went 4:21 between field goals, hitting just 1-of-8 shots, during the stretch. Cedric Russel's 3 from the right wing gave Louisiana Lafayette its largest lead at 43-38 with 50 seconds to play in the opening half. ULM trimmed its halftime deficit to 43-41 on Langston Powell's 3-ball from the left wing with 37 seconds left.
 
"We were up 10 in the first half when Tyree White picked up his second foul, so we took him out," Richard said. "After Tyree left the game, it was turnover, turnover, 3-pointer. So, they caught us. We gave up nine points off turnovers in the first half and that was the difference in the game. We were guarding them fine and playing decent offense.
 
"Points off turnovers, offensive rebounds and putbacks, those are the stats we've struggled with all year. I call those the free points."
 
Thirteen of the 14 lead changes and seven of the 10 ties came in the second half. The teams were separated by no more than four points until the final minute of play.
 
Wesley's 3-pointer from the top of the circle gave the Ragin' Cajuns a 55-51 lead with 12:10 to play in the game. The Warhawks put together a 9-3 spurt and regained the lead at 60-58 on White's 3 from the top of the circle with 9:15 on the clock. Ertel buried a 3-pointer from the right wing to give ULM a 73-71 lead with 2:20 remaining. ULL (11-17, 6-11) pulled even again at 73-all as Wesley converted both ends of a one-and-one with 1:46 left. Olonade's 3 from straightaway gave the Warhawks the lead for good at 76-73 with 1:29 to play and fueled a 7-0 run as ULM opened up an 80-73 advantage with 13 seconds to go. Ertel hit six-straight free throws in the final 20 seconds to ice the game.
 
"This became a real offensive game, and we haven't fared well in those types of games this season," Richard said. "There was no way around it – we had to score to win this game. We had to keep scoring to match Lafayette and we did for once. It was nice and see us put 83 points on the scoreboard.
 
"Balanced scoring was our theme today. Other players had to contribute on offense, particularly in this game. We knew Lafayette was going to do some different things. They were going to face-guard Mike (Ertel). They were going to play some different zones, and at times, they were going to really spread the zone out because they weren't going to let Mike go off on them. So, we needed other guys to contribute, and with five guys in double figures, it proves the message hit home with our players. They really responded to the challenge."
 
"Early in the year, we lost a lot of games like this one," Ertel said. "Games came down to the wire and our opponent would take control late. Louisiana Lafayette had their runs, but we responded every time, and we were able to get separation there late.
 
"It was huge to have five guys score in double figures. This afternoon's game reminded me a little bit of games last year when we had a lot of balanced scoring. A lot of guys were making shots this afternoon. We played a little more up-tempo and scored a lot of points. It was a fun game to play in. The guys played great, and I'm just glad we got the win."
 
Ertel posted 16 of his 22 points in the second half, including a perfect 9-for-9 from the free-throw line.
 
"Mike Ertel finally got the kind of help that he's been needing all season," Richard said. "With so many players contributing offensively, Mike could pick and choose when to score. He scored in some big moments this afternoon, but he didn't have to do it all the time. He also hit some big free throws down the stretch, and that's the Mike Ertel we've come to know over the last three seasons. It's been tough on him this year (carrying the scoring load), but the last couple of games, we've been providing him with the extra (scoring) that he needs. So, that's really nice to see."
 
ULM's other four starters scored in double figures, including White who finished with 18 points, Efretuei who added 15, Olonade who contributed 12 and Powell who netted 11.
 
White hit 6-of-12 shots from the field, including 4-of-5 3-pointers, to go along with six rebounds and three assists.
 
"Tyree was really aggressive in the second half because he spent half the first half on the bench with foul trouble," Richard said. "He made some big buckets in the second half and played a solid all-around game."
 
Efretuei, who made 6-of-11 field-goal attempts, also collected a team-high eight rebounds, with seven coming off the offensive glass.
 
"It's big when Chris (Efretuei) gets going (offensively) because they have to respect him in there," Ertel said. "Teams have been leaving him along, but now, he's been playing great the last couple of games and making teams pay. One-on-one down there in the post, he's pretty darn good. Chris has stepped up huge here late in the season, and he's playing with a ton of confidence."
 
Powell also tallied a season-high six assists.
 
As a team, ULM recorded 19 assists on 26 made field goals. The Warhawks outscored ULL, 20-7, from the free-throw line and outrebounded the Ragin' Cajuns, 40-34.
 
Five ULL players also posted double figures, led by Wesley who scored 16 points off the bench, followed by Jalen Johnson who tossed in 15, Russell who added 12, P.J. Hardy who netted 11 and Dou Gueye who chipped in with 10.
 
Saturday's game against the Ragin' Cajuns marked the first time ULM basketball wore its P-40 series alternate uniform. The Curtiss P-40 Warhawks constituted the principal armament of the U.S. Army Air Force (USAFF) fighter squadrons in the early 1940s. The P-40 Warhawk served as inspiration for ULM's new nickname/mascot, adopted in 2006. The P-40 uniform series incorporates details of the fighter into its design.
 
"We're a little superstitious, so there's no telling what we'll be wearing next," Richard said.
 
ULM plays its final Sun Belt road game of the regular season at league-leading Little Rock (19-9, 13-4) on Thursday, Feb. 27 at 6:30 p.m.  
 
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