ULM Warhawks

 

2020-21 ULM Basketball Notes: Games 24-25 vs. Texas State
 
STORYLINE –
Fresh from its series sweep against Little Rock, ULM (7-16, 5-11 SBC) concludes its 2020-21 Sun Belt Conference regular-season schedule with a weekend series at Texas State (16-6, 10-3 SBC): Friday, Feb. 26 and Saturday, Feb. 27 (4 p.m. tipoffs).
 
The Warhawks have won three of their last four games while the Bobcats have won 10 of their last 12. Last month, Texas State swept the first season series, 57-47 and 69-63, in Monroe, La.
 
ULM's starting lineup features two double-figure scorers, in forward Russell Harrison (13.4 ppg., 6.0 rpg.) and guard Koreem Ozier (11.8 ppg., 4.3 rpg.). Harrison has recorded double-doubles in three of his last five games, averaging 13.4 ppg. and 7.8 rpg. during that stretch.
 
THE STARTING FIVE –
• Junior forward Russell Harrison leads ULM in scoring (13.4 points per game), rebounding (6.0 rpg.) and 3-point field goals made (40). The 6-foot-7 Harrison has recorded double-doubles in three of his last five games, averaging 13.4 points and 7.8 rebounds during that stretch.
 
He has scored in double figures 18 times, including the last seven games in a row (14.1 ppg. during that span). Harrison has led the Warhawks in scoring in 11 games and rebounding 10 times.
 
He ranks among the Sun Belt Conference's Top 20 in four different statistical categories: eighth in free-throw percentage (.790), tied for 11th in rebounding, 13th in scoring and 13th in 3-point field goals made (2.0 pg.).
 
The transfer from Clarendon College produced his third double-double of the season with 10 points and a season-high 11 rebounds (four offensive boards) in ULM's 78-76 series-opening win over Little Rock. He also matched his season-high with four assists.
 
Harrison averaged 17.0 points and 6.5 rebounds as ULM earned a series split against the Ragin' Cajuns. In the series finale against Louisiana Lafayette, Harrison reached double figures for his fifth-straight game, hitting 8-of-14 field-goal attempts and finishing with 17 points to pace the Warhawks. He recorded a double-double with a game-high 17 points to go along with 10 rebounds as ULM ended a 10-game losing streak in Sun Belt play with a 72-66 victory over the Ragin' Cajuns in the series opener in the Cajundome. Harrison became the first Warhawk to record back-to-back double-doubles since Sam McDaniel accomplished the feat in consecutive road games at Coppin State (21 points and 10 rebounds) and VCU (15 and 10) during the 2016-17 season.
 
He recorded his first career double-double as a Warhawk in the series finale at UTA, finishing with 12 points and a season-high 10 rebounds.
 
Harrison missed the weekend Sun Belt series at Little Rock after traveling to his hometown of Lubbock, Texas, to celebrate the birth of his first child, son Zyren. 
 
He came off the bench for the first time this season in the series finale against Texas State and contributed 21 points (5-of-14 3-pointers), six rebounds and four assists.
 
Harrison scored a season-high 22 points and collected nine rebounds in the home opener against Lamar.
 
• Junior guard Koreem Ozier ranks second on the team in scoring (11.8 points per game), 3-point field goals made (36), rebounding (4.3 rpg.), assists (63) and steals (30). The 6-foot-1 Ozier ranks among the Sun Belt Conference leaders in minutes played (sixth at 33.5 pg.) and scoring (21st).
 
He is averaging 12.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game in Sun Belt play while shooting 45 percent (73-of-162) from the field, including 35 percent (27-of-77) from behind the 3-point arc.
 
In ULM's 78-66 series-opening victory over Little Rock, Ozier hit 5-of-8 shots from the floor, including 2-of-4 3-pointers, and finished with 14 points, five rebounds and a career-high four steals.
 
The Racine, Wisconsin, native eclipsed the 1,000-point career milestone with his 15-point effort in ULM's 72-66 win at Louisiana Lafayette. Ozier hit 6-of-12 field-goal attempts against the Ragin' Cajuns, including 3-of-7 3s. He scored 756 points in 54 games at Sacred Heart University before transferring to ULM.
 
Ozier, who ranks as the only Warhawk to have started all 23 games, has posted double figures 13 times, including seven straight during one stretch. He scored a season-high 28 points in ULM's 66-55 victory over SFA, hitting 9-of-13 shots from the floor, including 4-of-5 3-pointers, and all six free-throw attempts.
 
• Junior guard Elijah Gonzales leads the Warhawks in assists (85), steals (45) and 3-point field-goal percentage (.490; 25-of-51). The 5-foot-11 Gonzales leads the Sun Belt Conference in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.5) while also ranking among the league leaders in 3-point field-goal percentage (second), assists (sixth at 3.7 pg.) and steals (sixth at 2.0 per game).
 
The transfer from Clarendon College averaged 10.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game in ULM's series sweep against Little Rock. He added 10 points and five assists in the series opener against the Trojans. In the home finale against Little Rock, Gonzales tallied 10 points, a career-best six rebounds and matched his season high with seven assists.
 
He averaged 13.5 points and 5.0 assists in ULM's recent series against the Ragin' Cajuns. In the series finale against ULL, Gonzales contributed 15 points (5-of-11 FG shooting including 3-of-5 3-pointers) and five assists. He added 12 points, five assists and three steals in the series opener, as the Warhawks recorded their first win in Lafayette since Jan. 19, 2015, 57-55. Gonzales converted 6-of-7 free-throw attempts in the final 37 seconds to ice the game in the Cajundome.
 
Gonzales has posted double figures in scoring seven times, including 16 points each against Stephen F. Austin and in the series finale at Arkansas State (6-of-11 FG shooting).
 
• Down the stretch, freshman Thomas Howell has added some scoring punch to the lineup, averaging 7.8 points over the last five games while shooting an impressive 76 percent (19-of-25) from the field.
 
The 6-foot-8 Howell hit all three of his field-goal attempts for six points in the series finale against Louisiana Lafayette. In the series-opening win in the Cajundome, he came off the bench to score in double figures for his second-straight game, finishing with 11 points on 5-of-8 field-goal shooting
 
Howell went 5-for-5 from the floor for 10 points in 17 minutes in the series finale at UTA. He also collected three offensive rebounds.
 
For the season, 32 of his 68 rebounds (47 percent) have come off the offensive glass.
 
• Throughout preseason practice, ULM head coach Keith Richard noted the improved depth on the 2020-21 roster. Take a look at his playing rotation through the first 23 games and you'll see eight different players are logging at least 13 minutes per game. In addition, the Warhawk bench has outscored the opponent's reserves in 15 of the first 23 games while providing 22.2 points per game. The bench has accounted for more than 30 points in three games: 36 points in the series finale at Arkansas State, a season-high 39 points in ULM's 84-72 victory over Arkansas State in the Sun Belt Conference opener and 38 in a 92-83 overtime win at Northwestern State. In the recent series sweep against Little Rock, ULM held a 49-15 advantage in bench scoring.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS –
• On a minutes-played basis, senior Josh Nicholas' statistics are equivalent to 16.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.
 
The 6-foot-3 Nicholas has scored in double figures 12 times, including six of his last eight games. He is averaging 11.4 points during that eight-game stretch while hitting 49 percent of his field-goal attempts (33-of-68), including 39 percent (11-of-28) from behind the 3-point arc.
 
Nicholas averages 10.8 points in Sun Belt Conference play and his .485 field-goal percentage (65-of-134) ranks 11th overall in league games.
 
• In the first regular-season series against Texas State, Marco Morency averaged 17.0 points and 6.5 rebounds while hitting 65 percent (13-of-20) of his shots from the field, including 5-of-6 3-pointers (83 percent).
 
• Senior center Chris Efretuei has recorded a career-best 31 blocked shots. The 7-foot-1 Efretuei ranks sixth in the Sun Belt Conference in blocked shots, averaging 1.4 per game.
 
• In league games, ULM ranks among the Sun Belt Conference leaders in assist-to-turnover ratio (second at 1.1), assists (third at 14.8 pg.), free-throw percentage (fourth at .746), 3-point field-goal percentage (fifth at .358), steals (fifth at 7.4 pg.), turnover margin (fifth at +1.4 pg.), field-goal percentage (sixth at .432), 3-point field-goal percentage defense (sixth at .358) and 3-point field goals made (tied for sixth at 7.8 pg.).
 
• Despite the COVID-19 restrictions, ULM leads the Sun Belt Conference in both overall average home attendance (1,076 per game) and attendance for league home games (1,132 per game).
 
ULM/TEXAS STATE SERIES NOTES –
Friday's game marks the 58th meeting between ULM and Texas State. The Warhawks lead the all-time series, 31-26, including a 12-13 record in games played in San Marcos, Texas. Eight of the last 10 games in the series have been decided by eight points or less. Overall, the Bobcats have won eight of the last 10 meetings, including the last four in a row.
 
Last month, Texas State swept the first season series, 57-47 and 69-63, in Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
 
ULM's last win in Strahan Arena came on Feb. 21, 2019, 63-60.
 
2020-21 ULM STARTING LINEUPS –
Dec. 3 at Louisiana Tech: Olonade, Ozier, Morency, Harrison, Efretuei
Dec. 6 at Northwestern State: Olonade, Ozier, Morency, Harrison, Howell
Dec. 9 vs. Lamar: Olonade, Ozier, Morency, Harrison, Efretuei
Dec. 12 vs. Stephen F. Austin: Nicholas, Ozier, Morency, Harrison, Efretuei
Dec. 16 vs. Grambling State: Gonzales, Ozier, Morency, Harrison, Efretuei
Dec. 19 at Southern Miss: Olonade, Ozier, Harrison, Howell, Efretuei
Dec. 22 vs. Louisiana Tech: Olonade, Ozier, Harrison, Howell, Efretuei
Jan. 1 vs. Arkansas State: Olonade, Ozier, Harrison, Howell, Efretuei
Jan. 2 vs. Arkansas State: Olonade, Ozier, Nicholas, Harrison, Efretuei
Jan. 8 vs. UT Arlington: Olonade, Ozier, Nicholas, Harrison, Efretuei
Jan. 9 vs. UT Arlington: Olonade, Ozier, Nicholas, Harrison, Efretuei
Jan. 15 at Arkansas State: Olonade, Ozier, Nicholas, Harrison, Efretuei
Jan. 16 at Arkansas State: Olonade, Ozier, Nicholas, Harrison, Efretuei
Jan. 22 vs. Texas State: Olonade, Ozier, Nicholas, Harrison, Efretuei
Jan. 23 vs. Texas State: Gonzales, Ozier, Morency, Phillips, Efretuei
Jan. 29 at Little Rock: Gonzales, Ozier, Morency, Phillips, Efretuei
Jan. 30 at Little Rock: Gonzales, Ozier, Morency, Phillips, Efretuei
Feb. 5 at UT Arlington: Gonzales, Ozier, Morency, Harrison, Efretuei
Feb. 6 at UT Arlington: Gonzales, Ozier, Morency, Harrison, Efretuei
Feb. 11 at Ragin' Cajuns: Gonzales, Ozier, Morency, Harrison, Efretuei
Feb. 13 vs. Ragin' Cajuns: Gonzales, Ozier, Morency, Harrison, Efretuei
Feb. 21 vs. Little Rock: Gonzales, Ozier, Morency, Harrison, Efretuei
Feb. 22 vs. Little Rock: Gonzales, Ozier, Nicholas, Harrison, Efretuei       
                                
Different Starting Combinations (7):
Olonade, Ozier, Morency, Harrison, Efretuei: 2 (0-2)
Olonade, Ozier, Morency, Harrison, Howell: 1 (1-0)
Nicholas, Ozier, Morency, Harrison, Efretuei: 1 (1-0)
Gonzales, Ozier, Morency, Harrison, Efretuei: 6 ( 2-4)
Olonade, Ozier, Harrison, Howell, Efretuei: 3 (1-2)
Olonade, Ozier, Nicholas, Harrison, Efretuei: 7 (2-5)
Gonzales, Ozier, Morency, Phillips, Efretuei: 3 (0-3)
 
2020-21 WARHAWK STATISTICAL TRENDS –
Games played in Fant-Ewing Coliseum: 5-8
Games played on the road: 2-8
Games played at a neutral site: 0-0                    
 
Games played in December: 2-5
Games played in January: 2-8
Games played in February: 3-3
Games played in March: 0-0                              
 
When leading at halftime: 4-3
When trailing at halftime: 3-13
When tied at halftime: 0-0
 
When shooting .500 or better from the field: 2-1
When shooting less than .500 from the field: 5-15
When opponent shoots .500 or better from the field: 2-4
When opponent shoots less than .500 from the floor: 5-12
 
When outrebounding opponent: 1-2
When outrebounded by opponent: 4-14
When rebounding totals are equal: 2-0
 
When hitting more free throws than opponent: 2-3
When hitting fewer free throws than opponent: 5-12
When hitting the same number of free throws as opponent: 0-1
 
When committing fewer turnovers than opponent: 6-11                            
When opponent commits fewer turnovers: 1-5
When turnover totals are equal: 0-0
 
When ULM scores less than 50 points: 0-3         
When ULM scores 50-59 points: 0-3
When ULM scores 60-69 points: 3-6
When ULM scores 70-79 points: 2-4
When ULM scores 80-89 points: 1-0
When ULM scores 90-99 points: 1-0
 
When opponent scores less than 50 points: 0-0  
When opponent scores 50-59 points: 2-2
When opponent scores 60-69 points: 3-7
When opponent scores 70-79 points: 1-5
When opponent scores 80-89 points: 1-1
When opponent scores 90-99 points: 0-1
 
Games decided by five points or less: 1-4
Games decided by 6-10 points: 3-4
Games decided by 11-19 points: 3-7
Games decided by 20 points or more: 0-1
 
Last five games: 3-2                                                 
Last 10 games: 3-7
 
Largest deficit overcome to win: 9 (45-36 and 47-38 vs. Little Rock, Feb. 22)
Largest lead surrendered in a loss: 13 (38-25 vs. Lamar, Dec. 9)