ULL aims for first Sun Belt victory
Published: Jan 23, 2006
LAFAYETTE ? Two teams battling different kinds of adversity try to temporarily soothe their difficulties at the Cajundome tonight.
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette ? winless after five Sun Belt Conference games ? attempts to resemble the team coaches picked to win the league?s West Division championship.
ULL is also searching for some offense after scoring no more than 51 points in each of its last three games.
It?s been a different story this season for the injury-riddled University of New Orleans, which spent four months practicing and playing at a Texas college because of Hurricane Katrina.
The Cajuns (4-12, 0-5) approach the 7:05 tipoff at the bottom of the division and the worst conference record at this point since the school joined the league 15 years ago.
ULL is also the only SBC team without a victory.
UNO (5-11, 2-3) has played only three games on the campus since Jan. 12.
Those contests have been staged at the refurbished Human Performance Center which served as the Privateers? home court until 1983.
Another game was played Dec. 31 at the Alario Center on the West Bank against Tulane, marking UNO?s first appearance in the New Orleans area since Katrina.
The Privateers have also battled injuries and player losses since they were uprooted by Katrina.
Leading scorer Bo McCalebb (19.0 points per game), played in only four games before fracturing a wrist which team officials said is a season-ending injury.
Starting center Ben Elias tore a knee ligament and is also out, while on Saturday, UNO announced that guard Wayne Williams (15.5 points per game) has decided to leave the team.
Williams was one of two UNO players who stayed in New Orleans during Katrina.
He and another player, Jeremie Davis, eventually joined the team when practices started in October at the University of Texas-Tyler.
Players were allowed to attend classes at the Tyler campus and later some also took on-line courses offered by UNO.
Another injury has hampered forward Shawn Mallory over the last four games. Team officials said that Mallory could play against ULL.
On Sunday, UNO officials said the Privateers, now down to 12 players. will probably dress 10 for the ULL contest.
UNO begins a three-game road trip which also includes games at Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky.
ULL basketball coach Robert Lee said the Cajuns, who average 66.7 points per game, are getting the open shots the players can?t seem to make.
?The effort has been there. You can draw up the greatest plays, but it all comes down to putting them in the basket,? Lee said. ?I know this sounds redundant, but we just can?t shoot the ball.
?Our perimeter guys just have to do a better job. We are going to have to go out and get some guys who can shoot.?
ULL and UNO both lost their last games to Florida International.
FIU beat the Privateers (61-52) at the Performance Center, while Saturday night, the Panthers hosted and defeated ULL (55-50), which was 0-for-13 from the 3-point line in the second half.
In that game, the Cajuns also had 25 turnovers.
UNO?s probable lineup includes Dusty Driggs, who scored a career-high 15 against FIU and Jamie McNeilly, (6.0 ppg) at guards, while senior Nathaniel Parker (7.1 ppg) is the center.
The forwards are expected to be James Farlow (12.1 ppg) and Jacob Manning, who rebounded 10 shots against FIU.
ULL will start three seniors Dwayne Mitchell (17.2 ppg), Michael Southall (13.9) and Chris Cameron (9.5).
Mitchell (10.3 rebounds per game) plays guard and forward, while Southall (7.7 rpg) is the center. Cameron is a forward.
The ULL starting guards are Ed Turner (10.3 ppg) and Maurice Barksdale (7.9).
