ULM Warhawks

Game 26: Ragin' Cajuns (17-10 overall, 9-5 Sun Belt Conference) at ULM (10-15 overall, 5-9 Sun Belt Conference)
7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024 | Fant-Ewing Coliseum | Monroe, Louisiana
WATCH: ESPN+ | LISTEN: 105.3 FM KLIP | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
GAME NOTES

MONROE, La. - The ULM Warhawks return to Fant-Ewing Coliseum to open the final homestand of the 2023-24 season by facing off with the Ragin' Cajuns at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. The Cajuns defeated ULM, 80-72, in the first meeting in Lafayette on Jan. 31.

• ULM (10-15 overall, 5-9 Sun Belt Conference) struggled to get much going in last Saturday's loss at Troy, 85-57, ending the Warhawks' three-game winning streak. The Warhawks outrebounded the Trojans, 45-35, in the loss, but little else went ULM's way as the Trojans led by 16 at halftime and added to the lead in the second half. Makai Willis came off the bench to lead ULM with 10 points. Tyreke Locure and Tyreese Watson had nine points each, with Locure adding five assists. The Warhawks and Trojans will meet again at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in the final home game of the season.

• Since ULM's offensive resurgence began in the second half at James Madison on Jan. 18, the Warhawks have become one of the top offenses in the Sun Belt Conference. Since Jan. 17 (10 games), ULM is third in the SBC in field goal percentage (.459) and 3-point field goal percentage (.378) and seventh in scoring offense (75.3 points per game). Overall on the season, ULM is 10th in the SBC in field goal percentage (.426), 14th in 3-point field goal percentage (.300) and 13th in scoring offense (70.3 ppg.). The Warhawks have scored at least 70 points in eight of their last 10 games after scoring 70-or-more points just five times in the first 15 games of the season.

• Metskhvarishvili has scored 20-or-more points in four times over the last seven contests. Over the last seven games, he is averaging 17.4 points per game while shooting 53% (48-of-91) from the field and 38% (11-of-29) from the 3-point line.

• ULM enters Thursday's game in a four-way tie for ninth place in the Sun Belt Conference standings at 5-9 in SBC action. The Warhawks are tied with South Alabama, Coastal Carolina and Georgia Southern. The top 10 finishers in the conference standings earn a first-round bye in the upcoming Sun Belt Conference Championship in Pensacola, Florida.

THURSDAY'S GAME BASICS    
ULM continues to jostle for position in the Sun Belt Conference standings for upcoming seeding in the SBC Championship, as ULM enters play on Thursday against the Ragin' Cajuns in a four-way tie for ninth place along with South Alabama, Georgia Southern and Coastal Carolina with each team at 5-9 in SBC action. ULM is 10-15 on the season. The top 10 teams in the SBC standings receive a first-round bye at the SBC Championship.

ULM had a three-game winning streak snapped last Saturday at Troy, 85-57. The Warhawks are looking for their seventh win in their last 10 games overall on Thursday and have won four-straight games inside Fant-Ewing Coliseum. The Warhawks are 7-5 at home this season with wins against Eastern Michigan (82-76), Coastal Carolina (79-75), Arkansas State (85-82, OT), South Alabama (80-66), Champion Christian (110-63), Northwestern State (74-70) and Ecclesia (103-74) and with losses to Louisiana Tech (73-63), Marshall (68-57), Georgia Southern (76-68), Southern Miss (71-58) and Texas State (67-54). ULM's other three victories this season came at Central Michigan (74-64) in the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge, at Old Dominion (80-73) and at Southern Miss (68-59).

The Ragin' Cajuns are 17-10 overall and 9-5 in Sun Belt Conference play, sitting alone in fourth place in the standings with four games to play. The top four seeds in the Sun Belt Conference Championship receive a double-bye to the quarterfinals. Southern Miss and Arkansas State each lurk a game back of the Cajuns in the standings at 8-6. The Cajuns are 5-7 in true road games this year, including a 4-3 record in SBC road games. The Cajuns have road wins against Rice (84-67), Arkansas State (84-77), Texas State (86-68), South Alabama (88-79) and Old Dominion (68-60), while they have lost at Toledo (87-78), Samford (88-65), Louisiana Tech (72-67), McNeese (74-72), Marshall (75-61), Troy (79-73) and App State (85-73).

Thursday's game is the 89th meeting between ULM and the Ragin' Cajuns, with the Cajuns leading the series, 59-29. The Cajuns have won each of the last six meetings. The Warhawks last defeated the Cajuns, 72-66, on Feb. 11, 2021, in Lafayette. ULM last won in Monroe against the Cajuns, 83-77, on Feb. 22, 2020.

ULM head coach Keith Richard is 13-25 in his career against the Ragin' Cajuns, including an 8-19 mark against the Cajuns while at ULM. Cajun coach Bob Marlin is 30-11 in his career against ULM, including an 19-8 record as head coach of the Cajuns. Marlin was 11-3 against ULM while at then-Southland Conference foe Sam Houston. Marlin started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at ULM from 1981-83 under Hall of Fame coach Mike Vining, who is now the color analyst for home ULM basketball games. Marlin's first year as a graduate assistant was Richard's senior season at ULM in 1981-82.

Thursday's game will stream on ESPN+ with Chris Harris (play-by-play) and Mike Vining (analyst) on the call. The game also will air on 105.3 FM KLIP, la105.com and the TuneIn app on the Warhawk Radio Network from Learfield with Mike Hammett on the play-by-play.

PREVIEWING RAGIN' CAJUNS    
The Ragin' Cajuns lead NCAA Division I in 3-point field-goal percentage defense, allowing opponents to shoot just .265 from beyond the arc. The Cajuns are strong from behind the arc on the offensive end, leading the SBC in 3-point field-goal percentage at .360.

Kobe Julien leads the Ragin' Cajuns and the SBC at 17.7 points per game while adding 4.7 rebounds per game. He is shooting 44% from the field, good for eighth in the SBC, and 35% from 3-point range. He is sixth in the SBC as an 82.4% free-throw shooter. He has scored in double figures 25 times and has reached 20 points nine times. He has two double-doubles with 19 points and 10 rebounds on Jan. 28 vs. Texas State and 16 points and 10 rebounds vs. South Alabama on Feb. 3. He scored a season-high 30 points with seven rebounds vs. Buffalo on Nov. 21. He has knocked down multiple 3-pointers in 14 games and has hit at least one 3-pointer in 22 games. He was held under 10 points for just the second time this season last Saturday, scoring nine points on 4-of-14 shooting at App State. He had 19 points in the first meeting with ULM on Jan. 31.

Hosana Kitenge is the second Cajun in double figures at 11.8 points per game while ranking 10th in the SBC at 6.6 rebounds per game. Kitenge is shooting 57% from the floor and is second on the team with 26 blocks. Inside SBC play, he is second on the team, averaging 14.4 points (10th SBC) and 7.9 rebounds (ninth SBC) per game. He has scored at least 10 points in 17 games, including 13 of the last 14 games entering Thursday's contest. He has five double-doubles, with four in the last five games, including a 23-point, 13-rebound double-double last Saturday at App State. He posted a season-high 17 rebounds at Old Dominion last Thursday. He scored a season-high 25 points (10-of-15 field goal attempts) with seven rebounds at Arkansas State on Jan. 13, and posted a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds at South Alabama on Jan. 20. He picked up 14 points and six rebounds in the first meeting with the Warhawks on Jan. 31.

Joe Charles is third on the team at 11.4 points per game while leading the team and sitting third in the SBC at 9.5 rebounds per game. He is second in the SBC with 10.5 rebounds per game inside SBC play. His 1.8 steals per game ranks second in the SBC. He is shooting 47% from the field and 37% from 3-point range. He has scored 10 or more points 12 times, but just three times in Sun Belt Conference play. He has 10 or more rebounds 18 times with 10 double-doubles. He has scored over 20 points three times, with a season-high 23 points against Wright State on Nov. 20. He had a 22-point, 14-rebound double-double against Coastal Carolina on Jan. 6. He had a streak of five-straight games with 10-or-more rebounds from Jan. 26 to Feb. 7. He posted a double-double in the first meeting with ULM on Jan. 31 with 19 points on a season-high five 3-pointers and 11 rebounds.

Themus Fulks is fourth on the team at 11.3 points per game. He leads the club and is second in the SBC at 4.5 assists per game. His 1.4 steals per game rank second on the team and 10th in the SBC. He has reached double figures 13 times with a 13-point, 10-assist double-double at Texas State on Jan. 17. He has scored in double figures in two of the last three games, with 17 points vs. Bowling Green on Feb. 11 and 13 points at Old Dominion on Feb. 15. He has topped 20 points four times, including a season-high 25 points (10-of-13 field goal attempts) at Toledo on Nov. 11 and 23 points (9-of-14 field goal attempts) on Jan. 28 vs. Texas State. He has at least five assists in 10 games this season. He had nine points, five rebounds and four assists in the first meeting with ULM on Jan. 31.

Kentrell Garnett is nearly averaging double figures at 9.1 points per game. He is shooting 40% from 3-point range with 55 treys on the season. His 2.04 3-pointers per game are seventh-most in the SBC. He has 13 double figure scoring efforts, while knocking down at least three 3-pointers in 10 games. However, he has scored in double figures once in the last seven games and has not knocked down three 3-pointers in a game since Jan. 26 vs. Arkansas State. He scored a season-high 20 points twice, doing so vs. Louisiana Christian (6-of-11 3-pointers) on Nov. 15 and vs. Long Beach State (4-of-10 3-pointers) on Nov. 22. He was limited to two points in the game against ULM on Jan. 31.

WARHAWK OFFENSIVE RENAISSANCE    
Over the last 10 games, ULM has found its footing on the offensive end of the floor. The Warhawks have scored at least 70 points in eight of the last 10 games after hitting the mark just five times over the first 15 games of the season. The Warhawks were limited to 68 points in a win last Thursday at Southern Miss and to 57 points in last Saturday's game at Troy. Since Jan. 17, ULM ranks third in the SBC in field goal percentage (.459) and 3-point field goal percentage (.378) and seventh in scoring offense (75.3 points per game). Individually in that span, Nika Metskhvarishvili is sixth in the SBC at 15.9 points per game and fifth in field goal percentage at .510 (50-of-98).

ULM has shot over 43% from the field in seven games in that span, including over 46% six times and 50% three times. Here's a comparison of how ULM has grown offensively over the last 10 games, since Jan. 17:
 

	First 15 Games (SBC Rank)	Last 10 Games (SBC Rank)	Current Overall (SBC Rank)
Field Goal %	.405 (14)	.459 (3)	.426 (10)
3-Point Field Goal %	.261 (14)	.378 (3)	.300 (14)
Scoring Offense	66.9 (13)	75.3 (7)	70.3 (13)

METSKHVARISHVILI HITS 20 POINTS FOR THIRD-STRAIGHT GAME    
Senior forward Nika Metskhvarishvili had a season-high six-game double figure streak snapped last Saturday, scoring just six points in 16 minutes, while adding four rebounds. He has led ULM in scoring 10 times and leads the team in scoring at 12.0 points per game while shooting 44% (104-of-239) from the field. He also leads the team in rebounding at 5.9 boards per game. He is second on the team with 48 assists and 12 blocks. Inside SBC play, he leads the team with 12.5 points per game and 6.2 rebounds per game and is second on the team with 1.8 assists per game. Over the last seven games, he is averaging 17.4 points per game while shooting 53% (48-of-91) from the field and 38% (11-of-29) from the 3-point line.

Metskhvarishvili scored 20-or-more points in four out of five games from Jan. 28 to Feb. 10. He scored 20 points (8-of-13 field-goal attempts) and added six rebounds with three steals last Saturday vs. Eastern Michigan. He had his third 20-point game of 2023-24 on Feb. 7 against Coastal Carolina, scoring a career-high 28 points (10-of-16 field goal attempts) with seven rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal. Against Arkansas State on Feb. 3, he once again led ULM in scoring, knocking down 8-of-12 field goal attempts and all three 3-point field goal attempts on the afternoon to finish with exactly 20 points and three rebounds against the Red Wolves. The effort came six days after he came off the bench to score a career high 24 points, including the game-tying 3-pointer to force overtime with five seconds left in regulation, while matching a career best 11 rebounds for his third double-double of the season on Jan. 28 vs. A-State. He followed that effort up with 10 points and five rebounds on Jan. 31 at the Ragin' Cajuns. 

He returned to the floor from injury on Jan. 25 against South Alabama and played 14 minutes, scoring five points with four rebounds and two assists after missing the previous two games with an injury. 

He paced ULM with 14 points (7-of-8 free throw attempts) on Jan. 11 vs. Southern Miss. He led ULM in scoring and rebounding for the second-straight game with 16 points and nine rebounds at App State on Dec. 30. 

His three double-doubles on the season rank second on the team. He posted his second double-double of the season and fourth of his career on Dec. 18 at Jacksonville with 17 points and 11 rebounds. He totaled 10 points and 11 rebounds for his first double-double of the year at Lamar on Dec. 14. 

Metskhvarishvili scored a season-high 19 points, pulled in eight rebounds and added a career-high five blocks on Nov. 28 vs. Northwestern State. He played a key role in ULM's second-half rally, scoring 12 of his 19 points while adding seven of his eight rebounds and four of his five blocks. He had six of his eight rebounds on the offensive end.

Metskhvarishvili tallied 15 points with six rebounds, three assists and three steals on Nov. 16 vs. Louisiana Tech. He had 16 points (7-of-11 field-goal attempts) while adding three rebounds, three assists and one steal on Nov. 11 at Central Michigan. He dished out a team-best five assists on Nov. 20 vs. Ecclesia.

Metskhvarishvili was cleared to return to action just before the start of official practice in late September, and returns to the Warhawk lineup after missing all but five games in the 2022-23 season due to a knee injury.

LOCURE HEADS DOWN THE STRETCH OF SENIOR SEASON    
ULM senior guard Tyreke Locure narrowly missed his fifth-straight double-figure game last Saturday at Troy, finishing with nine points and five assists against the Trojans. He poured in 20 points on the strength of a season-high five 3-pointers to go with five rebounds, five assists and five steals last Thursday at Southern Miss. It was his fourth 20-point game of the season and 11th double-figure effort. He has nine 20-point games in his ULM career after topping 20 points five times last season. 

Locure was named Preseason Second-Team All-Sun Belt Conference following a vote of the league's head coaches, the conference announced Oct. 16. He is second on the team in scoring at 11.0 points per game while adding 4.0 rebounds and a team-high 3.0 assists per game. He leads the Sun Belt Conference in steals at 1.9 steals per game and ranks 10th in the SBC in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.58) and is 11th in assists per game.

He came up with his best game of the season to help lead ULM past Eastern Michigan on Feb. 10 in the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge. He had his first career double-double with a season-high 25 points (9-of-16 field goal attempts) and career-high 10 rebounds while matching his season high with six assists while adding one block. He earned his second 20-point game of the year with 20 points (8-of-10 free throw attempts) and five rebounds on Jan. 20 at Old Dominion. He had the first 20-plus point game of any Warhawk on the season on Jan. 6 against Georgia Southern, scoring a game-high 24 points (8-of-16 field-goal attempts) while adding four rebounds. 

He posted 15 points, eight rebounds, four steals and three assists on Feb. 7 vs. Coastal Carolina. He played only the second half on Feb. 3 at Arkansas State, scoring 11 points with two rebounds, three assists and two steals. He added 15 points with four rebounds, four assists and four steals on Jan. 25 vs. South Alabama. He totaled 17 points with a career-high matching nine rebounds (four offensive) and two assists on Nov. 28 vs. Northwestern State. He picked up 11 points with five rebounds and two steals vs. Ecclesia on Nov. 20, scored 15 points with five rebounds, four assists and three steals on Nov. 16 vs. Louisiana Tech and had 13 points and added team highs with six rebounds, six assists and three steals on Nov. 11 at Central Michigan. He had just nine points, three rebounds and four assists in nearly 11 minutes of playing time on Dec. 5 vs. Champion Christian.

WATSON LEADS NEWCOMER IMPACT ON 2023-24 TEAM    
ULM junior guard Tyreese Watson has reached double figures 11 times this season, including a stretch of seven times in eight games from Jan. 11 to Feb. 3. He chipped in 19 points (6-of-10 field-goal attempts) on Feb. 3 at Arkansas State in his last double figure outing. He is averaging 9.0 points per game on the season, ranking third on the team, while shooting 42% from the floor. Inside Sun Belt Conference action, he improves to 9.8 points per game.

Watson exploded for a career-high 21 points (8-of-12 field goal attempts) on Jan. 31 at the Ragin' Cajuns. He picked up eight of his 10 points after halftime on Jan. 28 vs. Arkansas State. Watson knocked down the game-winning 3-pointer from the left wing with nine seconds left in overtime against the Red Wolves. He set a new career high with 16 points (6-of-10 field goal attempts, 2-of-3 3-point field goal attempts) on Jan. 20 at Old Dominion. He scored 14 points while also tying his career best with five rebounds on Jan. 18 at James Madison.

Watson returned to the starting lineup and scored in double figures for the second straight game with 10 points vs. Texas State on Jan. 13. He had 12 points off the bench on Jan. 11 vs. Southern Miss. He picked up his first career start on Dec. 30 at App State, scoring eight points. He added season highs with five rebounds and four assists. Watson had his first double-figure game with 13 points (3-of-4 3-point field goal attempts) at Central Michigan on Nov. 11. He reached double figures in back-to-back games with 13 points vs. Ecclesia on Nov. 20 and a season-high 14 points (6-of-10 field goal attempts) at SMU on Nov. 26. He posted 10 points with one rebound at Sam Houston on Dec. 12.

GALLION CONTINUES CONTRIBUTING ROLE    
ULM senior guard Savion Gallion has started 22 of the first 25 games of the 2023-24 season and ranks fourth on the team in scoring at 8.5 points per game. He reached double figures for the 10th time this season with 11 points and two assists at Southern Miss on Thursday. He had 11 points on Feb. 10 vs. Eastern Michigan to go with four assists. He picked up 10 points, all in the second half, vs. Coastal Carolina on Feb. 7. He is shooting 60% (12-of-20) from the field over the last four games. He has knocked down all four of his 3-point field goal attempts over the last three games combined.

He had an efficient game at the Ragin' Cajuns on Jan. 31, scoring 14 points (6-of-9 field goal attempts) while adding three rebounds and three assists. He earned nine points (3-of-5 field goal attempts) with three assists at Old Dominion on Jan. 20. He collected 16 points, with 15 coming in the second half, on Jan. 18 at James Madison. He posted a career-high 18 points (6-of-10 field goal attempts) with three assists vs. Georgia Southern on Jan. 6. 

He has led ULM in scoring three times, doing so on Jan. 18 at JMU, posting 17 points (5-of-7 field-goal attempts) at Lamar on Dec. 14 and with eight points in the season opener at No. 7/6 Houston on Nov. 6. He reached double figures for the first time this season with 14 points (5-of-8 field-goal attempts) while adding five rebounds and four assists on Nov. 20 vs. Ecclesia. He had his second double figure game with 10 points and three rebounds at Sam Houston on Dec. 12. He scored in double figures for the third-straight game with 12 points at Jacksonville on Dec. 18. He added eight points with a career-high six rebounds on Nov. 26 at SMU.

BOLDEN STEPS UP AS SOPHOMORE    
Sophomore guard Jalen Bolden has emerged as a reliable option in the 2023-24 season. He is fifth on the team in scoring at 8.0 points per game and is second on the team at 5.7 rebounds per game. He has five double-doubles on the season, with three coming in Sun Belt Conference play after posting 10 points and 11 rebounds on Jan. 25 vs. South Alabama. It was the ninth time this year he scored in double figures. He tallied 11 points and 13 rebounds (seven offensive) on Jan. 20 at Old Dominion. He had his first double-double in SBC play and third of the season on Jan. 11 vs. Southern Miss with 13 points and 10 rebounds. In SBC action he is averaging 7.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.

He tallied 12 points, three rebounds and three steals on Jan. 18 at James Madison. He stuffed the stat sheet with seven points (7-of-12 free throw attempts), eight rebounds, four assists and two steals on Jan. 6 vs. Georgia Southern.

He reached double figures for the fourth-straight game with 11 points at Lamar on Dec. 14. He picked up his second double-double by leading the team in scoring with 14 points and rebounding with 12 boards on Dec. 12 at Sam Houston. He made his first career start on Dec. 5 against Champion Christian and posted his third double-figure scoring game of the season with 10 points (4-of-6 field-goal attempts, 2-of-2 3-point field-goal attempts) and three rebounds.

He had his first career double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds on Nov. 28 against Northwestern State. He scored 10 of his 12 points and pulled in nine of his 14 rebounds in the second half as ULM rallied from an 18-point first-half deficit for the 74-70 win. His 14 rebounds set a new career high.

He had his first double figure effort of the season with a career-high 15 points (6-of-7 field-goal attempts) against Ecclesia on Nov. 20. He has scored at least six points in each of the last six games while adding at least five rebounds three times.

WILLIS STARTS TO EMERGE IN THE POST    
ULM junior forward Makai Willis has been one of the top options off the bench for ULM. Willis is averaging 6.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game on the season and 8.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per game in Sun Belt Conference play. He is nearly averaging a double-double per 40 minutes played at 14.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per 40 minutes. He had his first double figure scoring effort since Jan. 28 last Saturday at Troy, going for 10 points and four rebounds.

Willis had a stretch of five-straight double-figure efforts from Jan. 13 to Jan. 28, and has scored in double figures seven times this season. He scored 10 of his 12 points and pulled in five of his eight rebounds after halftime as ULM rallied from a 17-point deficit to defeat Arkansas State in overtime on Jan. 28. He topped 20 points for the first time in his career with 21 points (9-of-13 field goal attempts) and nine rebounds on Jan. 25 vs. South Alabama. He picked up his second double-double of the season with 14 points (6-of-8 free throw attempts) and 12 rebounds on Jan. 20 at Old Dominion. He scored a career-high 15 points (5-of-10 field goal attempts) and added seven points last Thursday at James Madison. He totaled 11 points with seven rebounds vs. Texas State on Jan. 13.

He earned his first double-double with 13 points (5-of-8 field goal attempts) with 10 rebounds on Nov. 20 vs. Ecclesia. He also scored in double figures with 10 points vs. Champion Christian on Dec. 5.

RICHARD EARNS 300TH CAREER WIN, SECOND IN SBC CAREER WINS    
ULM head coach Keith Richard earned his 300th career win in the 72-59 victory for the Warhawks at Georgia Southern on Jan. 19, 2023.

Richard is in his 14th season as the head coach at his alma mater. The win against Georgia Southern also marked his 150th victory as the head coach at ULM, making it an even split in career victories with another 150 wins over nine seasons at Louisiana Tech from 1998-99 to 2007-08. 

He has won 122 Sun Belt Conference games as a head coach, with 90 at ULM and 32 over his first three seasons at LA Tech before the Bulldogs joined the Western Athletic Conference in 2001-02. With his win over Old Dominion on Jan. 20, Richard passed former Middle Tennesse coach Kermit Davis for the second-most SBC wins by a head coach.

He has been involved in 751 of the 2,039 games (37%) in ULM program history either as a player, graduate assistant, assistant coach or head coach.