ULM Opens Sun Belt Road Swing at Texas State Thursday

Men's Basketball Jan 13

Game 17: ULM (9-7, 1-3 SBC) vs. Texas State (9-4, 0-1 SBC)
Thursday, Jan. 13 | 7 p.m. CT
Strahan Arena (10,000) | San Marcos, Texas
ESPN+ | KLIP 105.3 FM

2021-22 ULM Basketball Notes: Game 17 vs. Texas State

THE STORYLINE –
ULM hits the road for a two-game road trip in Texas, meeting Texas State and UTA for a double dose of Sun Belt Conference action. The Warhawks have won their last two games played in the Lone Star State (SFA and Lamar).

Sophomore Nika Metskhvarishvili led the Warhawks in both scoring and rebounding against A-State with a career-best 22 points. It was his third 20+ point game of the season and he tied his career high in rebounds with seven.

Senior Russell Harrison owns ULM's top four individual single-game scoring performances this season, including a career-best 28 vs. Sun Belt foe Little Rock (Jan. 6).

ULM dominated this series in the early years, but Texas State has won the last six games, including the last four played last season as part of the Sun Belt Conference COVID-adjusted schedule. ULM last won in San Marcos on Feb. 21, 2019 (63-60).

THE STARTING FIVE –
• Unlike last season, ULM will play only nine games in the month of January. With the five-weekend month of January in 2021, and the Sun Belt Conference's COVID-adjusted schedule, the Warhawks played 10 games against five opponents, on back-to-back days. ULM opened Sun Belt play on Dec. 30 this season.

• The Warhawks are undefeated with a 7-0 mark when they shoot .500 or better from the field with a 2-7 mark when they record a field-goal percentage below .500. All nine of ULM's wins have come when its opponents are held below .500 shooting from the field. Arkansas State was one of only four ULM opponents this season to shoot better than .500 from the field.

• Even with changes in the Warhawks' lineup, ULM is among the best in terms of distributing the ball and protecting it. The Warhawks lead the Sun Belt Conference in team assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.44, good for 14th in the nation, and according to kenpom.com ratings, ULM is 26th nationally in assist rate at .603.

• Both junior guard Elijah Gonzales and graduate guard Andre Jones have led the Warhawks in assists seven times this season, averaging a combined 8.7 assists per game and contributing almost exactly half of ULM's 17.6 assists per game.

• This weekend's games send ULM to Texas for a Thursday, Jan. 13, contest at Texas State and Saturday, Jan. 15, meeting at UT Arlington. The Warhawks have four-straight games in Fant-Ewing Coliseum to end the month of January. ULM will play five of their eight February games away from home.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS –
3 — Newcomer Nika Metskhvarishvili has three games with 20 points or more this season, including a career-best 22 points vs. Arkansas State. Metskhvarishvili currently ranks 10th with 16.0 points per game in Sun Belt Conference contests.

3 — ULM and Texas State are the only two Sun Belt schools with three players ranked in the conference's Top 20 for individual scoring. Harrison checks in at ninth at 16.3 ppg., Metskhvarishvili is 10th (16.0 ppg.) and Andre Jones is 16th at 14.0 ppg.

6 — ULM has six games already this season with a total of 20 or more assists, highest number of games with 20+ assists in the Keith Richard era. The previous best was five by the 2015-16 Warhawk team. ULM tops the Sun Belt with 17.6 assists per game, good for a No. 14 national ranking.

+19 — The ULM bench outscored the Red Wolves bench 19-0 in the first half of Saturday's game. The Warhawks finished the game with +15 points advantage from their reserves. ULM was +12 in both points in the paint and second-chance points.

61.8% — The Warhawks shot .618 overall from the floor in the first half vs. Arkansas State, connecting on 21 of their 34 field-goal attempts and .636 from beyond the 3-point arc (7-11).

80 — Senior Russell Harrison played every minute of the last two games, averaging a team-best 23.0 points and 9.0 rebounds. In those two games, his combined overall field-goal percentage was .630 (17-27) and .571 (8-14) from beyond the 3-point arc.

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE –
According to kenpom.com (as of Jan 12, 2021), ULM's strength of schedule in 2021-22 is 176th with a rating of +0.17. ESPN.com ranks the Warhawks' SOS at No. 155. ULM had a non-conference strength of schedule rating of +3.42 (No. 82).

TEXAS STATE SCOUTING REPORT –
Head Coach: Terrence Johnson (Southern, 2001)
Record at Texas State/Career Record: 27-11 (second season)/same
Johnson's Record vs. ULM: 4-0
Bobcats' Top Scorer: Caleb Asberry (13.3 ppg.)
Bobcats' Top Rebounder: Isiah Small (7.0 rpg.)

Texas State is preparing to compete this weekend after its last three games were cancelled, citing COVID-19 issues within its program. Troy snapped the Bobcats' 10-game home winning streak with a 78-63 loss in the Sun Belt Conference opener Dec. 30 in their last game. Isiah Small led the Bobcats with 17 points and eight rebounds. Nighael Ceaser added 16 points and Caleb Asberry had 14 points, six assists and four steals.

The Bobcats are ranked in the top three in the Sun Belt Conference in all three shooting categories. Texas State tops the list in free-throw shooting percentage at .763 (No. 38 nationally), is second in 3-point field-goal percentage (.357) and is third in field-goal percentage (.477).

Caleb Asberry was named the Sun Belt Player of the Week on Nov. 22 after averaging 21.0 points, 4.5 assists, 4.0 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game in the Good Sam Empire Classic. Asberry was named the Good Sam Empire Classic MVP and an All-Tournament selection after scoring a season-high 24 points and dishing out a career-high seven assists against Dixie State. He then scored 18 points in the championship game against Eastern Washington. Isiah Small was also named to the Empire Classic All-Tournament team.

Head coach Terrence Johnson guided Texas State to an 18-7 record in his first season. The 18 wins were the most by a Bobcat first-year head coach since Dan Wall led Texas State to 20 wins in 1977-78. Johnson was named the Sun Belt Coach of the Year in 2020-21 after leading the Bobcats to their first conference championship since 1998-99.

The Sun Belt Conference coaches picked Texas State to finish third in a 2021-22 Sun Belt preseason poll, following Georgia State and the Ragin' Cajuns, in first and second, respectively. The Bobcats were selected third with 110 points, one point ahead of 2021 Sun Belt Tournament Champion App State.

QUOTING KEITH RICHARD –

Texas State scouting report
"It's impossible to know how Texas State will respond after a 14-day layoff, so we have to be focused on controlling what we can control.

"Texas State returns most of the key players off last year's regular-season Sun Belt Conference Championship team, including all-league players in Mason Harrell and Caleb Asberry, along with Isiah Small and Shelby Adams. Continuity, experience and toughness are the strengths of this team.

"Second-year head coach Terrence Johnson has continued the Texas State tradition of playing a disruptive defense and creating turnovers. So, it will be extremely importance for us to take care of the basketball and take good shots. Texas State is also one of the best teams in the country at drawing charges."

ULM/TEXAS STATE SERIES NOTES –
Thursday's game marks the 60th meeting between ULM and Texas State. The Warhawks lead the all-time series, 31-28, including a 12-15 record in games played in San Marcos, Texas. Texas State has won the last six games in a row – the second-longest streak in series history. ULM won 10 consecutive games from 1989-93. Five of the last six games have been decided by 10 points or less.

Keith Richard is 6-12 against Texas State as ULM head coach.

2020-21 GAME RECAPS –
Series in Monroe
Texas State 57, ULM 47 (Jan. 22, 2021 in Monroe, La.): Isiah Small and Caleb Asberry combined for 26 points to lead Texas State to a 57-47 victory over ULM Friday in the opening game of a Sun Belt Conference weekend series. It marked the Bobcats' fourth-straight win.

The Bobcats rolled to a 27-13 halftime lead as ULM made only 5-of-17 field-goal attempts (29 percent) in the first 20 minutes. The 13 first-half points marked a season low for the Warhawks.

Small led Texas State (10-4, 4-1 Sun Belt) with 15 points while Asberry contributed 11 points and a game-high eight rebounds.

Marco Morency came off the ULM bench to score a season- and game-high 18 points, hitting 7-of-11 shots from the floor including 2-of-3 3s. Morency was the only Warhawk to reach double figures as ULM (4-10, 2-5) dropped its fifth consecutive game.

Texas State 69, ULM 63 (Jan. 23, 2021 in Monroe, La.): Isiah Small hit 8-of-9 field-goal attempts, including all four 3-pointers, and finished with 20 points and eight rebounds to lead Texas State to a 69-63 victory over ULM Saturday to complete the Sun Belt Conference weekend series sweep while extending its winning streak to five games.

Texas State (11-4, 5-1 Sun Belt) shot 54 percent (28-of-52) from the floor, including 60 percent (9-of-15) from 3-point range. ULM (4-11, 2-6) was limited to 43-percent (25-of-58) field-goal shooting, including 10-of-28 3-pointers (36 percent), en route to losing its sixth-straight game.

The Bobcats also got 11 points from Mason Harrell.

After managing only five points in the series opener, ULM's Russell Harrison bounced back to score a game-high 21 points off the bench. Marco Morency added 16 points, connecting on 6-of-9 shots from the field including all three 3s, and seven rebounds.

Series in San Marcos
Texas State 58, ULM 49 (Feb. 26, 2021 in San Marcos, Texas): Isiah Small scored a game-high 17 points and collected seven rebounds to lead Texas State to a 58-49 victory over ULM Friday as the Bobcats recorded their sixth-straight win and clinched the Sun Belt Conference regular-season championship.

Texas State (17-6, 11-3 Sun Belt) led from start to finish but took control of the game with a 14-1 run early in the second half.

The Bobcats also got 11 points from Mason Harrell and 10 from Alonzo Sule.

Texas State outrebounded ULM, 33-22.

Marco Morency led ULM (7-17, 5-12) with 13 points and four steals while Josh Nicholas added 10 points off the bench.

Texas State 61, ULM 57 (Feb. 27, 2021 in San Marcos, Texas): Caleb Asberry posted 19 points and seven rebounds as Texas State closed out the regular season with its seventh consecutive victory, a 61-57 decision over ULM Saturday. The Bobcats won all four regular-season meetings against the Warhawks.

There were six ties and five lead changes in the game.

ULM outscored Texas State, 19-5, over the final 10 minutes of the first half and took a 29-23 lead into the intermission.

Texas State (17-6, 11-3 Sun Belt) took the lead for good at 57-56 on Nighael Ceaser's jumper with 50 seconds left in the second half. The Bobcats converted 4-of-5 free-throw attempts in the final 22 seconds to ice it.

Josh Nicholas paced the Warhawks with 17 points, hitting hit 7-of-10 field-goal attempts including 3-of-4 3-pointers. ULM (7-18, 5-13) also got 13 points off the bench from Koreem Ozier.

UTA SCOUTING REPORT –
Mavericks' Record: 7-8, 3-1 SBC
Last game: L OT, 73-74 vs. Georgia Southern Jan. 8
Next game: Jan. 13 vs. Ragin' Cajuns
Head Coach: Greg Young (Howard Payne, 1986)
Record at UTA/Career Record: 7-8 (first season)/same
Young's Record vs. ULM: First meeting
Mavericks' Top Scorer: David Azore (17.2 ppg.)
Mavericks' Top Rebounder: Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu (5.4 rpg.)

ULM/UTA SERIES NOTES –
Saturday's game marks the 78th meeting between ULM and UT Arlington. The Warhawks lead the all-time series, 51-26, including a 19-15 record in games played in Arlington. UTA has won 10 of the last 11 meetings, including the last seven in a row. The last three games have been decided by single digits.

ULM's last win in Arlington came on Feb. 20, 2016, 64-61.

Keith Richard is 5-14 against UTA as ULM head coach.

THE LAST TIME OUT –
Arkansas State 90, ULM 83 (Jan. 8, 2022, in Monroe, La.): ULM's successful run at home ended Saturday afternoon with a 90-83 loss to Arkansas State. The Warhawks saw an eight-game home winning streak end as they dropped their first decision in seven games at Fant-Ewing Coliseum this season.

Nika Metskhvarishvili came off the bench to score a career-high 22 points with five assists and seven rebounds for ULM. Four players reached double figures for the Warhawks, with Andre Jones scoring 19, Russell Harrison 18 and Koreem Ozier adding 14.

Arkansas State made its last six field goals and erased an 11-point ULM lead in the second half. Marquis Eaton scored 25 points while Norchad Omier scored 24 with 11 rebounds. Caleb Fields added 17 points with 11 boards for the Red Wolves.

The Warhawks overcame an early deficit in the first half and showed plenty of firepower while taking control into the second half.

The Red Wolves bolted to an 11-0 lead to begin the game and held a 19-6 advantage at the 15:55 mark. Arkansas State nailed its first seven shots and hit three 3-pointers in pouncing early. ULM's shooters heated up after a cold start and erased the early deficit. With a 14-0 run, ULM led 35-30 at the 7:11 mark on a layup by Luke Phillips. Metskhvarishvili scored 10 points during the comeback.

Arkansas State was scoreless over the last 3:21 of the first half, which allowed ULM to claim a 51-42 halftime lead. Metskhvarishvili scored 17 first-half points on 7-of-9 shooting with three 3-pointers and four rebounds. The Warhawks shot 62 percent in the opening half with seven 3-pointers. Arkansas State cooled off slightly but still shot 57 percent in the half.

ULM weathered an 0-for-10 stretch but still led 68-60 with 7:34 after Jones hit a layup to end the drought. But the trend wasn't sustainable. The Red Wolves cut ULM's lead to four at 72-68 on Eaton's 3-pointer with 5:22 remaining and drew within three at 74-71 on another 3-pointer from Fields.

The Arkansas State comeback continued as Eaton's jumper at the 2:44 mark cut the ULM lead to one at 76-75. A layup by Avery Felts tied the game for the second time at 77-77, then the Red Wolves reclaimed the lead at 80-77 on a 3-point play from Omier with 1:38 to go.

Riding an 11-1 run Arkansas State increased the lead to 82-77 with 1:09 left. ULM went more than three minutes without a bucket in falling behind and never recovered.

ULM shot just 34 percent in the second half while going 2-for-13 from 3-point range. Arkansas State shot 56 percent in the second half while outscoring ULM, 48-32, over the final 20 minutes.

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
Dec. 4 vs. Northwestern State: Gonzales, Ozier, Jones, Harrison, Howell
Dec. 8 vs. Louisiana Christian: Gonzales, Powell, Jones, Harrison, Howell
Dec. 14 at SFA: Gonzales, Powell, Jones, Harrison, Howell
Dec. 18 vs. Southern Miss: Gonzales, Ozier, Jones, Harrison, Howell
Dec. 20 at Lamar: Gonzales, Ozier, Jones, Harrison, Howell
Dec. 30 at Coastal Carolina*: Gonzales, Ozier, Jones, Harrison, Howell
Jan. 1 at App State*: Gonzales, Ozier, Jones, Harrison, Howell
Jan. 6 vs. Little Rock*: Jones, Ozier, Russell, Metskhvarishvili, Howell
Jan. 8 vs. Arkansas State*: Jones, Ozier, Powell, Russell, Howell

Different Starting Combinations (6):
Gonzales, Ozier, Jones, Harrison, Howell: 7 (4-3)
Jones, Ozier, Powell, Harrison, Howell: 3 (1-2)
Gonzales, Powell, Jones, Harrison, Howell: 2 (2-0)
Gonzales, Jones, Gee, Harrison, Howell: 2 (1-1)
Jones, Ozier, Harrison, Metskhvarishvili, Howell : 1 (1-0)
Gonzales, Boston, Gee, Harrison, Howell: 1 (0-1)

2021-22 WARHAWK STATISTICAL TRENDS –
Games played in Fant-Ewing Coliseum: 6-1
Games played on the road: 2-6
Games played at a neutral site: 1-0

Games played in November: 2-4
Games played in December: 6-1
Games played in January: 1-2
Games played in February: 0-0
Games played in March: 0-0

When leading at halftime: 7-4
When trailing at halftime: 1-3
When tied at halftime: 1-0

When shooting .500 or better from the field: 7-0
When shooting less than .500 from the field: 2-7
When opponent shoots .500 or better from the field: 0-4
When opponent shoots less than .500 from the floor: 9-3

When outrebounding opponent: 6-0
When outrebounded by opponent: 3-7
When rebounding totals are equal: 0-0

When hitting more free throws than opponent: 5-0
When hitting fewer free throws than opponent: 4-7
When hitting the same number of free throws as opponent: 0-0

When committing fewer turnovers than opponent: 8-2
When opponent commits fewer turnovers: 1-5
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: 0-4
When ULM scores 70-79 points: 1-1
When ULM scores 80-89 points: 5-1
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: 5-0
When opponent scores 70-79 points: 3-2
When opponent scores 80-89 points: 0-0
When opponent scores 90+ points: 0-5

Games decided by five points or less: 1-0
Games decided by 6-10 points: 2-3
Games decided by 11-19 points: 1-0
Games decided by 20 points or more: 4-4

Largest deficit overcome to win: 10 (42-32 at Lamar, Dec. 20)
Largest lead surrendered in a loss: 11 (66-55 vs. Arkansas State, Jan. 8)

Print Friendly Version

ULM Warhawks

Related News

ULM Opens Sun Belt Road Swing at Texas State Thursday