MONROE, La. -Â The ULM Warhawks wrap up a season-long four-game home stand on Saturday when they host the Ragin' Cajuns at Fant-Ewing Coliseum. ULM is 3-21 overall and 1-12 in the Sun Belt after last Saturday's 52-43 loss to Georgia State. The Ragin' Cajuns snapped a four-game losing streak with last Saturday's 72-60 win over Georgia Southern to improve to 14-10 overall and 7-6 in the Sun Belt.
PROJECTED STARTERS (based on previous game)
#2
Gara Beth Self, 5-8, Fr., G: 8.7 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 2.0 apg
#1
Amber Thompson, 5-9, Sr., G: 10.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.2 apg
#11
Whitney Goins, 6-0, Jr., G/F: 6.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.2 apg
#4
Kierra Crockett, 6-0, Jr., F: 5.5 ppg, 6.9 rpg
#24
Diamond Brooks, 6-2, Jr., C: 8.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg
STARTING FIVE
1. Defense ruled the day on Saturday in ULM's home loss to Georgia State. The Warhawks limited Georgia State to just 52 points, which sets a new season-low in points allowed by ULM. However, the 42 points scored by ULM also matched a season-low allowed by the Panthers.
2. Last week's game with Georgia State was statistically a dead heat, except for in the number of field goals made by each team. Each team had 34 rebounds and 11 turnovers in the game, while Georgia State had seven steals and ULM tallied six. However, Georgia State shot 38.3% from the floor (18-of-47), while ULM hit just 26.4% from the field (14-of-53).Â
3. Every Warhawk scored in Saturday's loss to Georgia State. It marks the first time this season that each player on the active roster has scored in a single game for ULM this season.
4. Senior guard
Amber Thompson was ULM's only double-figure scorer on Saturday vs. Georgia State. Thompson knocked down a pair of 3-pointers early in the contest, and also tracked down four rebounds while picking up an assist and a steal. Thompson is averaging 13.8 points over the last four games, which includes a 20-point effort at Troy and a 17-point game vs. South Alabama.
5. Junior center
Diamond Brooks pulled down 10 rebounds for the third time in the last six games. Brooks has improved her rebounding average to 5.8 boards per game. Over the last three contests, Brooks is averaging 9.7 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. She scored a career-high 17 points against Georgia Southern on Feb. 13.
PREVIEWING THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
Saturday's game is the 59th meeting between the Warhawks and Ragin' Cajuns. ULM dominated the series until the 2015 season, winning 40 of the first 47 meetings. The Ragin' Cajuns have reversed the series since 2015, winning 11 straight meetings entering Saturday, including a 68-55 win in Lafayette last month.
The Cajuns snapped a four-game skid on Saturday with a 72-60 win over Georgia Southern to improve to 14-10 overall and 7-6 in the Sun Belt Conference. Jomyra Mathis led five Cajuns in double figures with a career-high 18 points, and was a perfect 3-for-3 from the 3-point line. Brandi Williams added 14 points while also hitting three treys. Skyler Goodwin had an 11-point, 11-rebound double-double. Kimberly Burton added 11 points and Ty'reona Doucet chipped in 10. After topping ULM on Jan. 25, the Cajuns lost by 15 points to both Little Rock and South Alabama, before suffering a 67-64 defeat to Troy and a 61-53 loss to Georgia State, leading to Saturday's win over Georgia Southern.
The Ragin' Cajuns stack up well in the Sun Belt statistical rankings. The Cajuns lead the Sun Belt in turnover margin (+4.5 per game), rank second in free throw percentage (71.3%), 3-point field goal percentage (32.6%) and steals (9.2 per game, and rank fourth in scoring defense (62.6 points allowed per game), scoring margin (+2.5 per game) and field goal percentage (39.3%).
Junior center Ty'reona Doucet leads the Cajuns in scoring, at 12.6 points per game, and rebounding, at 7.5 boards per game. Doucet has scored in double figures 14 times, including five of the last six games. Doucet has four double-doubles on the season, including a 17-point, 11-rebound double-double vs. ULM on Jan. 25. She scored a season-high 22 points in a come-from-behind win at Texas State on Jan. 18, and had a season-high 18 rebounds vs. South Alabama on Jan. 9. Doucet ranks highly in the Sun Belt Conference in several categories, including third in field goal percentage (52.4%) and blocked shots (1.3 per game), fifth in defensive rebounds (5.2 per game), sixth in rebounding, 12th in scoring and 15th in offensive rebounds (2.2 per game).
Sophomore guard Brandi Williams is second on the team in scoring at 12.0 points per game. Williams also pulls down 3.7 rebounds per game and tallies 1.2 steals per game. Williams has scored in double figures 13 times, including in three of the last four games. Williams scored a season-high 25 points and pulled down a season-best nine rebounds vs. Southeastern Louisiana on Nov. 17. Williams ranks third in the Sun Belt in free throw percentage (82.7%), 13th in 3-point field goals made (1.4 per game) and 17th in scoring. Williams scored nine points and had two rebounds vs. ULM on Jan. 25.
Sophomore guard Andrea Cournoyer has taken over the starting point guard role for the Cajuns. She has scored in double figures in five games, including a season-high 16 points vs. Troy on Feb. 8. She has also tracked down a season-best seven rebounds and handed out a season-high eight assists, both at Troy on Jan. 11. Cournoyer is tied for sixth in the Sun Belt in steals at 1.7 per game, and also ranks 14th in assists at 2.5 per game. Cournoyer scored nine points, had one rebound and dished out four assists vs. ULM on Jan. 25.
Junior guard/forward Jomyra Mathis has picked up her scoring over the last two games. Mathis scored a career-high 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting, including 3-of-3 3-point shooting vs. Georgia Southern on Saturday. She had 12 points vs. Georgia State on Feb. 13. Mathis is averaging 6.8 points and 3.0 rebounds per game, and scored seven points and hauled in four rebounds vs. ULM on Jan. 25.
