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ULM Continues Homestand Against Northwestern State Saturday

ULM Continues Homestand Against Northwestern State Saturday

Men's Basketball Dec 03

Game 8: Northwestern State (1-7, 0-0 SLC) vs. ULM (3-4, 0-0 SBC)
Saturday, Dec. 4 | 2 p.m. CT
Fant-Ewing Coliseum (7,000) | Monroe, La.
ESPN+ | KLIP 105.3FM

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2021-22 ULM Basketball Notes: Game 8 vs. Northwestern State
 
THE STORYLINE –
ULM faces Northwestern State for the second time this season and for the first time on its homecourt since Nov. 26, 2019. The two programs have played each other now for nine-straight seasons.
 
Graduate guard Andre Jones moved to the top of the Warhawks' scoring column at 12.7 points per game after his first 20-point game at ULM. Jones had 21 to lead six Warhawks in double figures in Wednesday's win over Centenary.
 
Both Andre Jones and junior guard Koreem Ozier have scored at least 10 points in the last five games.
 
ULM and Northwestern State played 12 days ago in the Lanky Wells Classic in Ruston, Louisiana, with the Warhawks posting a 96-66 win.
 
THE STARTING FIVE –
• ULM seeks back-to-back wins this week as it followed Sunday's tough loss at SMU (74-67) with a 104-67 win over Centenary in Fant-Ewing Coliseum. The Warhawks posted back-to-back wins over Champion Christian (114-59, Nov. 16) and Northwestern State (96-66, Nov. 22) last month.
 
• At 79.9 points per game, the Warhawks are No. 1 in Sun Belt in scoring offense and ranked 60th nationally. ULM has two 100-point games so far in 2021-22, most in the Keith Richard coaching era in Monroe. The 2018-19 squad had six games of 90+ points, most under Richard, with this current season third with three, tied with 2017-18.
 
• ULM's 20 assists vs. Centenary helped it move to the top of the Sun Belt's assists-per-game chart at 16.4, and the Warhawks are ranked 40th in the country in assists per game. Other Top-50 national rankings include steals per game (36th, 9.6) and total steals (48th, 115).
 
• Graduate guard Andre Jones had 21 points vs. the Gents Wednesday night for the first 20-point scoring effort by a Warhawk this season and the 10th of his career. Jones also recorded a season-best seven assists, hitting six different targets in the victory.
 
• The Warhawks knocked in 11 treys vs. Centenary, their highest total this season. For the second-straight game, ULM posted its highest single-game 3-point field-goal percentage, connecting at a .407 (11-27) clip vs. the Gents after a .381 mark, its previous best, at SMU.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS –
3 — ULM had its third game with at least 20 assists this season with 20 vs. Centenary. The Warhawks had a season-high 24 vs. Northwestern State Nov. 22 and tallied 22 vs. Champion Christian. In the Keith Richard era, ULM recorded five games with 20+ assists in the 2015-16 season and have had six seasons with at least three games with 20+ assists, including 2021-22.
 
6 — Six Warhawks scored in double figures vs. Centenary, the third time this season ULM has had six players with 10 or more points. Trey Boston, Andre Jones and Koreem Ozier had 10+ points in all three of those contests.
 
7 — ULM had a season-low seven turnovers vs. Centenary and the Gents did not score any points off Warhawk miscues.
 
30 — The Warhawks' .488 (212-434) team field-goal percentage is second in the Sun Belt and ranks 30th nationally. Six Warhawks are above the .500 mark in field-goal percentage: Thomas Howell (.682), Luke Phillips (.636), Andre Jones (.544), Koreem Ozier (.500), Elijah Gonzales (.500) and Langston Powell (.500).
 
58.6% — ULM's 58.6 (41-70) field-goal percentage vs. the Gents was its best of the season so far. The Warhawks' 41 made field goals included 11 3-pointers, the team's high mark for 2021-22.
 
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE –
According to kenpom.com (as of Dec. 3, 2021), ULM has the sixth-toughest strength of schedule in 2020-21, with a rating of +14.40. ESPN.com ranks the Warhawks' SOS at No. 22.
 
NSU SCOUTING REPORT –
Head Coach: Mike McConathy (Louisiana Tech, 1977)
Record at Northwestern State: 322-358 (23rd season)
McConathy's Record vs. ULM: 11-10
Demons' top scorer & rebounder: Freshman C Kendal Coleman (15.6 ppg., 7.3 rpg.)
 
Northwestern State has lost five-straight contests, including Tuesday night's setback to No. 15 Houston, 99-58. Freshman Emareyon McDonald became the fourth different Demon to lead NSU in scoring with a career-best 17 points versus the Cougars. Houston took a 60-25 lead at halftime and dominated NSU in multiple stat categories. Against Stephen F. Austin, the Demons erased three different double-digit Lumberjack leads, but SFA scored the final six points to escape with a 72-68 victory last Sunday. Kendal Coleman had 14 to lead the Demons while Cedric Garrett (13) and Jalen King (10) also scored in double figures.
 
The Demons shuffled their lineup vs. Stephen F. Austin, their fourth different lineup of the season. Guards Brian White, Cedric Garrett and center Kendal Coleman have started all eight games and forwards Robert Chougkaz and Zurabi Zhghenti have started the last two contests. Monroe, La., native Larry Owens started in NSU's season opener at Oklahoma and vs. the Warhawks in the Lanky Wells Classic in Ruston.
 
Northwestern State has seven guarantee games in 2021-22 and plays four of its next six games on the road in December. After Saturday's game in Monroe, the Demons will travel to LSU, Texas A&M and Baylor with home games vs. Dallas Christian College and Southwestern Adventist.
 
The Demons' Mike McConathy is the winningest coach in Louisiana college basketball coaching history with more than 320 wins at Northwestern State and 352 during his 16-year tenure as head coach at Bossier Parish Community College. He was not on the sidelines for the first meeting on Nov. 22 due to COVID protocols.
 
ULM/NORTHWESTERN STATE SERIES NOTES –
ULM won its fourth-straight game in the series and eighth of the last 10 matchups with the 96-66 win on Nov. 22. Overall, the Warhawks lead the series vs. Northwestern State, 77-50. The Warhawks' 96 points in the last game marked the highest scoring total for ULM vs. the Demons since a 96-83 Fant-Ewing Coliseum victory dating back to the 2001-02 season.
 
Keith Richard is 7-3 in nine games as ULM head coach against NSU. NSU's last win in the series came on Nov. 21, 2017, 76-61, in Monroe.
 
THE LAST MEETING –
ULM 96, Northwestern State 66 (Nov. 22, 2021, in Ruston, La.): Six ULM basketball players scored in double figures for the second-straight game en route to a 96-66 win over Northwestern State in the Warhawks' first game of the Lanky Wells Classic in Ruston, Louisiana. Trey Boston, Nika Metskhvarishvili and Koreem Ozier shared game-high scoring honors with 15 points each. Thomas Howell recorded his first career double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds, both career highs.
 
The Warhawks turned in another exceptional team effort, overwhelming the Demons with a season-best 56.5 percent shooting from the field with 24 assists on 35 baskets. Junior guard Elijah Gonzales directed the Warhawk offense and tied his career best with 10 assists along with six points and three of the team's 15 steals. Northwestern State shot only 41 percent from the field with several unproductive stretches and was hampered by 25 turnovers and foul trouble for three of its top four scorers.
 
Boston and Metskhvarishvili combined for 30 of ULM's 42 points off the bench. Metskhvarishvili added six rebounds, one shy of his career best, to his game totals. Graduate guards Andre Jones and Reginald Gee finished with 13 and 10 points, respectively, and each had three assists. ULM had 52 points in the paint and split its six 3-pointers with three in each half.
 
ULM, up 50-29 at halftime, picked up in the second half right where it ended the first. ULM connected on its first three attempts from the floor and extended its lead to 57-32 on Ozier's first 3-pointer of the season. Ozier scored all 15 of his points in the second period and tied his career best with four steals. The Warhawks led by as many as 33, benefitting from four of six made baskets to end the game after a stretch of four-straight made buckets earlier to go up by 29.
 
The Warhawks bolstered their lead in the first half with six-straight made field goals and closed the half 8-of-10 from the floor. Northwestern State went without a field goal for 8:37 until the Demons' only 3-pointer of the first period came after Larry Owens stole the ball and tossed up a 30-foot desperation shot as the clock hit zero.
 
The first seven minutes of the game saw five ties and two lead changes before the Warhawks took the lead for good on Metskhvarishvili's second layup for a 14-12 score. Back-to-back baskets by Howell put ULM up by double figures before NSU cut the lead to nine with 6:14 to play in the first half. Six different Warhawks scored in a 17-5 run over five minutes to extend the lead to 41-24.
 
Cedric Garrett fouled out of the game, but had the top point total for NSU with 13. Kendal Coleman scored eight of his 10 points in the second half and pulled down six rebounds.
 
THE LAST TIME OUT –
ULM 104, Centenary 67 (Dec. 1, 2021, in Monroe, Louisiana): Andre Jones and Elijah Gonzales combined for 38 points to lead ULM to a 104-67 victory over Centenary in Fant-Ewing Coliseum on Wednesday, Dec. 1. The Warhawks led from start to finish and shot a season-best 59 percent from the field (41-of-71) as six players scored in double figures.
 
ULM raced out to an 11-3 lead after scoring the first seven points of the game. Centenary answered with a 14-7 run and cut its deficit to 18-17 on AJ Hall's 3-pointer from the right corner with 12:20 remaining in the first half. Koreem Ozier hit an 18-foot jumper to spark a 14-3 spurt as the Warhawks built a 32-20 lead just under midway through the half after back-to-back 3s from Elijah Gonzales, who accounted for 10 points during the stretch.
 
The Gents came within seven at 36-29, but ULM outscored Centenary, 21-7, over the final 6:38 of the first half, connecting on eight of their last 10 field-goal attempts, and took a commanding 57-36 advantage into the intermission. ULM hit 63 percent (22-of-35) from the floor in the opening half and outscored the Gents in fast-break points, 24-3.
 
ULM went on a 20-2 run midway through the second half and took extended its lead to 92-52 on Trey Boston's 3-pointer from the left wing with 8:14 remaining. His layup with 4:49 to play gave the Warhawks their largest lead at 99-54 with 4:47 on the clock. ULM surpassed the century mark for the second time this season on Luke Phillips' 3 from the left wing with 2:55 left, 102-59.
 
As a team, ULM finished 41-of-70 (.586) from the field, including 11-of-27 (.407) from behind the 3-point arc. The 11 3s marked a season high. The Warhawks had a decided advantage in points off turnovers, 22-0; fast-break points, 42-6; points in the paint, 54-22; and bench points, 47-23.
 
Jones, who connected on 8-of-14 field-goal attempts, set season highs for points (21) and assists (7). Gonzales scored a career-best 17 points, hitting 6-of-7 shots from the floor including 3-of-4 3s. ULM also got 16 points from Ozier, 14 from Boston and 10 each from Phillips and Russell Harrison. 
 
Jalen Behr led the Gents with 19 points on 7-of-14 field-goal shooting, including 4-of-11 3-pointers. Ralph Johnson added 15 points for the visitors, hitting 5-of-10 shots from the floor including 2-of-3 treys.
 
Wednesday also marked the 50th anniversary of the first game played in Fant-Ewing Coliseum (Dec. 1, 1971, against Sam Houston).
 
QUOTING KEITH RICHARD –
 
NSU scouting report
"We're not going to face the same Northwestern State we did 12 days ago. First, they have bone to pick with us because we beat them pretty good in Ruston. Second, Coach Mike McConathy missed the first game due to COVID protocols, so his presence changes things. Third, they're playing a lot of zone right now. So, it is almost a completely different matchup. We're going to have to be really right on both ends of the floor to win this game."
 
On Fant-Ewing Coliseum anniversary
"It was good to celebrate 50 years in this building with a big win. Gosh, I can still remember the very first time I walked in here on my official visit as a senior in high school. It might be hard to believe, but this building is one of the reasons I came here. I was impressed and this building made a major impact on me.
 
"Fifty years later, it needs some tender loving care. (ULM Athletics Director) Scott McDonald has some plans for future renovations, but the game atmosphere is still good. When you get a lot of people in here, it gets loud and you can feel the energy on the floor."
 
On Elijah Gonzales performance
"Elijah was all over the floor. I had a feeling he would provide a spark off the bench. We got off to a good start at 7-0, then relaxed and let Centenary shoot the 3 to get back into the game. Once we started defending the 3-point line, we put together some stops and were able to get out and run, which led to some layups and dunks. And Elijah played a big part in getting us out in transition."
 
On developing chemistry in early season
"We're still a work in progress. We tried some different lineups in the second half because we wanted to look at some different combinations. Besides the big score and the win, we got a lot accomplished, which is what you want to do in the preseason. We're constantly trying to get things right before we hit conference play, and we're still on that march."
 
On Wednesday's bounce-back win
"We needed a game like this coming off the heartbreaking loss at SMU Sunday. The vibe in the post-game locker room felt good. We were able to do some things in the first half that we really wanted to do. The bench really came in and did a good job. Once we subbed in Elijah Gonzales and Trey Boston, we started getting stops and that led to some layups on the other end. We also were able to get the ball inside and score. After we strung together some stops, then the lead ballooned.
 
"Whenever you play non-Division I teams, the only way they can hang around most of the time is if you don't defend the 3-point line. The first 10 minutes was a learning lesson for our guys because we didn't really get out there and contest those shots. Once we got it under control and got some stops, we were able to get out and run."
 
2021-22 ULM STARTING LINEUPS –
Nov. 9 at LSU: Gonzales, Jones, Gee, Harrison, Howell
Nov. 12 at Auburn: Gonzales, Boston, Gee, Harrison, Howell
Nov. 16 vs. Champion Christian: Gonzales, Jones, Gee, Harrison, Howell
Nov. 22 vs. Northwestern State: Gonzales, Jones, Ozier, Harrison, Howell
Nov. 24 vs. Louisiana Tech: Gonzales, Jones, Ozier, Harrison, Howell
Nov. 28 at SMU: Jones, Ozier, Powell, Harrison, Howell
Dec. 1 vs. Centenary: Jones, Ozier, Powell, Harrison, Howell
                                      
Different Starting Combinations (4):
Gonzales, Jones, Gee, Harrison, Howell: 2 (1-1)
Gonzales, Boston, Gee, Harrison, Howell: 1 (0-1)
Gonzales, Jones, Ozier, Harrison, Howell: 2 (1-1)
Jones, Ozier, Powell, Harrison, Howell: 2 (1-1)
 
2021-22 WARHAWK STATISTICAL TRENDS –
Games played in Fant-Ewing Coliseum: 2-0
Games played on the road: 0-4
Games played at a neutral site: 1-0                        
 
Games played in November: 2-4
Games played in December: 1-0
Games played in January: 0-0
Games played in February: 0-0
Games played in March: 0-0                                    
 
When leading at halftime: 3-2
When trailing at halftime: 0-2
When tied at halftime: 0-0
 
When shooting .500 or better from the field: 3-0
When shooting less than .500 from the field: 0-4
When opponent shoots .500 or better from the field: 0-2
When opponent shoots less than .500 from the floor: 3-1
 
When outrebounding opponent: 3-0
When outrebounded by opponent: 0-4
When rebounding totals are equal: 0-0
 
When hitting more free throws than opponent: 3-0
When hitting fewer free throws than opponent: 0-4
When hitting the same number of free throws as opponent: 0-0
 
When committing fewer turnovers than opponent: 3-0                         
When opponent commits fewer turnovers: 0-4
When turnover totals are equal: 0-0
 
When ULM scores less than 50 points: 0-1           
When ULM scores 50-59 points: 0-0
When ULM scores 60-69 points: 0-2
When ULM scores 70-79 points: 0-1
When ULM scores 80-89 points: 0-0
When ULM scores 90+ points: 3-0
 
When opponent scores less than 50 points: 0-0  
When opponent scores 50-59 points: 1-0
When opponent scores 60-69 points: 2-0
When opponent scores 70-79 points: 0-1
When opponent scores 80-89 points: 0-0
When opponent scores 90+ points: 0-3
 
Games decided by five points or less: 0-0
Games decided by 6-10 points: 0-1
Games decided by 11-19 points: 0-0
Games decided by 20 points or more: 2-3
 
Largest deficit overcome to win: 2 (9-7 vs. Champion Christian, Nov. 16; 4-2 and 6-4 vs. Northwestern State, Nov. 22)
Largest lead surrendered in a loss: 10 (28-18 and 60-50 at SMU, Nov. 28)
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