MONROE, La. – The ULM men's basketball team captured the lead with less than 90 seconds to go, but the Ragin' Cajuns converted six unanswered free throws in the final minute of play to secure a 65-60 win inside Fant-Ewing Coliseum on Saturday (Jan. 18) afternoon.
 
The Warhawks held the Cajuns to zero field goals in the last 8:21 of the game and trailed by as many as 10 points in the first half. ULM compiled a 10-2 scoring run, culminating with a Jalen Bolden layup to claim the lead with 1:19 remaining before the Cajuns knocked down the final six free throws.
 
"I thought we were good enough to win on our home floor today," said ULM Head Coach Keith Richard. "We had a chance to win, but we didn't make the offensive plays and it did not go our way."
 
Bolden led the way for the Warhawks with 16 points and created four steals. Jacob Wilson netted 15 points while Jerry Ngopot scored 11. Both Wilson and Ngopot snatched seven boards each to lead the team.
 
Kentrell Garnett recorded a game-high 18 points and buried five 3-pointers. Mostapha El Moutaouakkil registered 12 points and was one rebound shy from recording a double-double with nine rebounds.
 
The Warhawks poured in 32 points in the paint and capitalized on 15 points from turnovers, both numbers being higher than the Cajuns. The Cajuns outpaced the Warhawks in all three shooting percentage categories and held a higher field goal percentage (41.8%), 3-point percentage (34.8%) and free throw percentage (84.6%).
 
The Ragin' Cajuns got out to a quick 5-0 lead before Wilson broke free for an open dunk to get the Warhawks on the board. Tyreese Watson hit a pair of free throws and Wilson scored a layup to make the score 16-15 in favor of the Warhawks with 8:35 left in the first half.
 
The Cajuns responded with a 5-0 run and seized a four-point lead. Bolden knocked down a jumper followed by a dunk by Young to tie the game with 6:43 left in the first half. The Ragin' Cajuns again responded with a 6-0 run with El Moutaouakkil knocking down a jumper to give the Cajuns a six-point lead. The Cajuns led by 10 points with 0:40 left in the half before Bolden hit a three to close the lead to seven at half. Bolden finished the first half with 10 points, shooting 3-for-7 from the field.
 
The Warhawks opened the second half on a 6-3 run and cut the visitors' lead to four after Wilson and Bolden finished back-to-back fast break layups. The Cajuns then hit a three and free throw to extend the lead to ten with 9:52 left in the second half. ULM answered back with two 3-point buckets in a row from Watson and Wilson, cutting the Cajuns' lead to four.
 
A Watson steal turned into a layup by Bolden and whittled the Cajuns' lead to three. Wilson cut through the lane and made a layup to bring the Warhawks within one point with less than six minutes left. After two free throws by El Moutaouakkil and a bucket by Watson, the Cajuns held a one-point lead. Both teams were held scoreless for nearly three minutes of game time, as the game approached the final minutes.
 
Bolden powered through the lane to give the Warhawks their first lead of the second half with 1:19 to go. On the next Cajuns' possession, Brandon Hardy was fouled and drilled both free throws to give his team the lead. Kyndall Davis sank two more free throws for the Cajuns, padding the lead to three. ULM was unable to score on its next possession and Zeke Cook drained two additional shots at the line to seal the win for the Cajuns.
 
ULM men's basketball will be back in action on Thursday (Jan. 23) night and will host South Alabama inside Fant-Ewing Coliseum at 6:30 p.m.