The Furman University men's basketball team hasn't played the University of Louisiana-Lafayette since 1958, but despite that lack of familiarity with the Ragin Cajuns, the Paladins know the challenge they face Saturday.
When the teams meet at 2 p.m. in Timmons Arena in the second round of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament, Furman's task starts with Shawn Long.
Long enters the game averaging 19.4 points and 12.4 rebounds per game this season and is coming off his 22nd double-double of the season in ULL's CIT-opening win against Texas A&M Corpus Christi. It was the 74th double-double of his career, most among active NCAA players.
Slowing the opponent's big man is not an unfamiliar task for the Paladins (19-15), who are coming off a 58-57 win against Louisiana-Monroe on Tuesday in which they held 6-foot-10 Warhawks center Majok Deng to 12 points,almost seven below his average.
But the challenge is bigger -- literally -- today. Long is an inch taller, and at 246 pounds, 61 heavier than Deng. Long also has 2 inches and 11 pounds on Furman's biggest player, Kendrec Ferrara, and at least 3 inches and 30 pounds bigger than any other Paladin.
The keys against Long likely will be similar to those against Deng. The Paladins committed only 10 fouls, and only Daniel Fowler had as many as three. Fowler, who is 6-4, played a key role against Deng, who had two points at halftime, blanketing Deng as soon as he received the ball and finishing with five steals.
Fowler finished with 11 points against the Warhawks, and Devin Sibley and Kris Acox also scored in double figures. However, leading scorer Stephen Croone managed only eight on 3-for-13 shooting from the field, including 0-for-5 on 3-pointers.
The Paladins could use a return to form by Croone, especially considering that ULL has a complementary scorer to Long, 6-3 guard Kasey Shepherd, who made six 3-pointers and finished with a career-high 28 points against Corpus Christi.
Containing Shepherd will be a challenge. But not the biggest.
When the teams meet at 2 p.m. in Timmons Arena in the second round of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament, Furman's task starts with Shawn Long.
Long enters the game averaging 19.4 points and 12.4 rebounds per game this season and is coming off his 22nd double-double of the season in ULL's CIT-opening win against Texas A&M Corpus Christi. It was the 74th double-double of his career, most among active NCAA players.
Slowing the opponent's big man is not an unfamiliar task for the Paladins (19-15), who are coming off a 58-57 win against Louisiana-Monroe on Tuesday in which they held 6-foot-10 Warhawks center Majok Deng to 12 points,almost seven below his average.
But the challenge is bigger -- literally -- today. Long is an inch taller, and at 246 pounds, 61 heavier than Deng. Long also has 2 inches and 11 pounds on Furman's biggest player, Kendrec Ferrara, and at least 3 inches and 30 pounds bigger than any other Paladin.
The keys against Long likely will be similar to those against Deng. The Paladins committed only 10 fouls, and only Daniel Fowler had as many as three. Fowler, who is 6-4, played a key role against Deng, who had two points at halftime, blanketing Deng as soon as he received the ball and finishing with five steals.
Fowler finished with 11 points against the Warhawks, and Devin Sibley and Kris Acox also scored in double figures. However, leading scorer Stephen Croone managed only eight on 3-for-13 shooting from the field, including 0-for-5 on 3-pointers.
The Paladins could use a return to form by Croone, especially considering that ULL has a complementary scorer to Long, 6-3 guard Kasey Shepherd, who made six 3-pointers and finished with a career-high 28 points against Corpus Christi.
Containing Shepherd will be a challenge. But not the biggest.
