ULMMBBRECAP11.4
Luke Richard/ULM Athletics
61
Champion Chris. CC 0-1
111
Winner ULM ULM 1-0,0-0 Sun Belt
Champion Chris. CC
0-1
61
Final
111
ULM ULM
1-0,0-0 Sun Belt
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Champion Chris. CC 25 36 61
ULM ULM 57 54 111

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | ULM Athletic Communications

Total Team Effort Leads ULM Men's Basketball to 111-61 Win Over Champion Christian in Season Opener

It was a big night for the Warhawks, with all 13 players who participated in the game scoring at least one point in the team's season opener.

MONROE, La. -- The ULM men's basketball team (1-0) led from the jump and earned a convincing 111-61 win in the team's season opener over Champion Christian (0-1) on Monday (Nov. 4) night at Fant-Ewing Coliseum in Monroe, La.

All 13 Warhawks who appeared in Monday's game scored at least one point in the team victory. Two ULM players recorded a double-double after AD Diedhiou scored 13 points and collected 11 rebounds and freshman Renars Sondors scored 10 points and hauled in a game-high 14 boards in his collegiate debut.

Jerry Ngopot led ULM in scoring with 16 points and knocked down a career-high two three-point field goals on a 7-for-13 shooting night. Makai Willis posted 15 points and collected seven rebounds on the glass while Jalen Bolden added 10 points and five boards.

Tyreese Watson handed out a team-high six assists and scored eight points. Watson, Ajay Tew and Devon Hancock all ended the night with a pair of steals apiece. Willis and Ngopot both tallied one block each.

ULM shot 41-of-76 from the field and made 10-of-26 attempts from three-point range. The Tigers were held to 32.0% shooting and made only seven of 34 attempts from long distance. The Warhawks netted 52 points in the paint and 23 points off turnovers and second chance points in the win.

Jacob Wilson knocked down his first three-point attempt of the season after a dunk by Willis to give ULM an early 5-0 lead. Made free throws by Willis and Watson and a jumper by Bolden pushed the ULM advantage to 10 points within the first five minutes. The Warhawks ignited a 12-0 scoring run and pushed the lead to 20 after two buckets from both Willis and Diedhiou and baskets by Bolden and Coltie Young. Sondors made his first layup of the night with just under 10 minutes remaining in the half to make the score 31-11 Warhawks.

Wilson and Kelton Williams drained consecutive three-point attempts and Diedhiou cleaned up the glass with a putback layup to put the home team ahead by 26. A Hancock steal led to two made free throws by the senior from Dallas, Texas, and the ULM lead increased to 28 points with less than five minutes in the half. Hancock added an additional pair of free throws that pulled ULM ahead by 30 for the first time all night. A Young triple and a floating jump shot by P.D. McCraney resulted in ULM earning its largest lead of the first half at 56-21. ULM led by 32 at the break.

The Warhawks would not trail by less than 30 points the entire second half. A Watson layup, a Wilson three-pointer and one free throw each by Willis and Diedhiou served as a 7-0 scoring run for ULM in the early moments of the second half. A steal-and-score by Willis extended the Warhawks' lead to 70-30 at the 16-minute mark. The Warhawks continued to pour it on after Bolden and Watson finished layups and Ngopot rimmed home a three-pointer to make the score 77-30 with 14:16 left. Ngopot put the Warhawks ahead by 50 points with 12:10 on the clock.

Young, Williams and Ngopot each knocked down three-pointers and the Warhawks continued to find rhythm from long distance. Ngopot slammed home a dunk off a pass from McCraney that made the score 98-49 ULM. A Diedhiou dunk and fastbreak layup gave the Warhawks a 49-point lead and Tew connected on a free throw to push the lead back to 50 points. Freshman Micah Caster made a step-back three-pointer to give the Warhawks their largest lead of the night, 111-58, and wrapped up a high-scoring performance.

ULM men's basketball will return to the hardwood on Wednesday (Nov. 6) night for its first road game of the season at LSU. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. on SEC Network+ from the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge.
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