Andre Jones layup vs Ragin' Cajuns 2022
Luke Richard/ULM Athletics
78
Winner Louisiana LA 11-13,6-8 Sun Belt
77
La.-Monroe ULM 13-14,5-10 Sun Belt
Winner
Louisiana LA
11-13,6-8 Sun Belt
78
Final
77
La.-Monroe ULM
13-14,5-10 Sun Belt
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Louisiana LA 41 37 78
La.-Monroe ULM 31 46 77

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

ULM Falls to Cajuns in Thrilling Home Finale, 78-77

By ULMWarhawks.com Online Columnist Paul Letlow

MONROE, La. – ULM fell by the slimmest of margins Thursday night in a 78-77 loss to Louisiana Lafayette.

Fouled with two seconds remaining in regulation, Kobe Julien made the first of two free throws to hand ULM defeat in the home season finale at Fant-Ewing Coliseum.

"I thought we played well, particularly in the second half," ULM coach Keith Richard said. "We played hard the whole game. It was really a great game. They played good as well. It came down to the last couple of possessions obviously and the last minute. Unfortunately, it didn't go our way."

ULM senior Andre Jones scored 26, his fifth-straight game with 20 or more points. Jones finished 11-of-16 from the field with nine rebounds.

"He played like he was one of the better players on the court," Richard said. "He got to the rim, made some shots and we needed them."

Russell Harrison scored 16 and Elijah Gonzalez added 13 for the Warhawks, who trailed by as many as 14 points in the first half. ULM (13-14, 5-10 Sun Belt) shot 47 percent overall and 50 percent in the second half while outscoring ULL, 46-37, over the final 20 minutes.

Jordan Brown paced ULL (11-13, 6-8 Sun Belt) with 26 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Jalen Dalcourt scored 16 while Julien finished with 15.

The game featured 12 lead changes over the first 10 minutes before the Warhawks surged ahead with a 10-0 run to lead 25-18. Harrison, with eight points and two 3-pointers, was a key scorer during the blitz.

The Cajuns countered with a 19-0 run of their own to regain control at 41-27 with 1:46 left in the half. Falling behind by 14, ULM's scoring drought lasted 6:04 until Luke Phillips made a free throw with 1:26 remaining until the break.

ULM made just 1-of-7 field goals to finish the half and trailed 41-31 at halftime. Nine ULM turnovers led to 12 points off turnovers for the Cajuns.

ULL shot 38 percent but made seven first-half 3-pointers. Brown, a transfer from Arizona, scored 17 of his points in the first half.

The Warhawks got their offense back on track in the second half, but the Cajuns remained hot too.

Jones scored the first five points to open the second half and shave ULL's lead to five at 41-36.

A 3-pointer by Nika Metskhvarishvili and a Jones free throw pulled ULM within three at the 12:05 mark. The Warhawks would edge within three points on four more occasions down the stretch, but ULL had the counter punch each time until late.

ULM cut the score to 74-71 with 4:29 remaining in the contest on a traditional three-point play by Koreem Ozier. Finally when Ozier made a pair of free throw, ULM was within one at 74-73 with 3:16 to play.

An offensive foul on Brown with 2:06 left gave ULM a chance to regain the lead for the first time since the first half. Harrison was fouled and made his two free throws to put the Warhawks ahead 75-74 with 1:39 to go.

ULL's Dou Gueye made one of two free throws to tie the game for just the third time, but Jones scored on the ULM end for a 77-75 lead for the home squad with 49 seconds on the clock.

"It took us a while, but we finally took the lead there," Richard said. "We got up two. You can go back and beat your head up, but these close games like this are won in a couple of possessions. It all comes down to that. It just didn't go our way."

The Cajuns labored the final 4:48 without a field goal, but free throws kept them close. Brown hit a pair with 37 seconds for a 77-77 tie.

After Jones missed a jumper for ULM with 12 seconds, the Cajuns rebounded and had the ball knocked out of bounds with four seconds.

"We missed it, came down and thought we had a stop," Richard said.

A foul called against Gonzalez after the inbounds play with just two seconds sent Julien to the line, where he made one of two free throws for the winning margin.

"It had to be a great game to watch in the second half by both teams," Richard said. "A lot of hard playing, a lot of good offense."

Up next: ULM plays the Cajuns again on Saturday in Lafayette. Tip-off at the Cajundome is 7 p.m.

Tail feathers: Against the taller Cajuns, ULM won the rebound battle, 37-36. … The Warhawks honored seniors Reginald Gee, Justin Gibson, Russell Harrison and Andre Jones in a pre-game ceremony. … During the game, ULM recognized former basketball standouts, David and John Pickett, along with their brother Mark, a four-year football letterman and two-year starter at tight end for Coach John David Crow. … ULM wore its P-40 uniforms for the final home date.
 
 
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