LAFAYETTE, La.?Arkansas State connected on just one field goal in the final nine minutes and Louisiana-Lafayette scored just enough to hold off the Indians, 71-65, in men's basketball action here Thursday night.

            The Indians (12-16, 7-6 Sun Belt Conference) missed four layups and several other open shots over the final nine minutes.  The loss for ASU could prove costly in the race for the second seed in the SBC Championship after Middle Tennessee defeated Western Kentucky in Murfreesboro, Tenn., tying ASU with just one game remaining for each team.

            Michael Southall ruled the paint and seldom left it as he scored 22 points and hauled down 13 rebounds for ULL.  The Indians countered with Isaac Wells' 21 points and seven boards, but a cold stretch by ASU doomed the Tribe.

            ASU led most of the second half and went up four points at 62-48 with just a shade over nine minutes remaining in the game when Yual Banks slipped backdoor and converted a layup on a nice assist from Dereke Tipler.  Unfortunately for ASU, the Indians would score just one more field goal the remainder of the game.

            “We really hit a dry spell there in the second half and just couldn't get a basket to fall,” said ASU head coach Dickey Nutt.  “We missed for open layups and a few other shots that we normally make, and when you're facing a team as talented as the Cajuns, you've got to hit all your open shots.”

            ASU was limited to just 20 points and 34.6 percent shooting in the second half after scoring 45 in the opening frame and shooting a robust 62.1 percent.

            Dwayne Mitchell canned a three from the left wing on the ensuing ULL possession to slice ASU's lead to one at 62-61.  Wells missed a layup underneath the basket followed by a missed Banks three from the right wing.  Southall gathered the rebound for the Ragin' Cajuns (11-15, 6-8 Sun Belt Conference).

            Southall connected on a short jumper the next time down the court for ULL with 7:17 left to play to give his squad a lead that would not be relinquished the rest of the game.  That bucket started a 6-0 run by Southall that iced the game.

            Wells' basket with 5:01 left to play halted the run but proved to be the last basket of the night for the Tribe.  ASU trailed 67-64 at that point and watched as the Ragin' Cajuns ended the game on a 5-1 run.

            “I thought we really played hard and most of the game played smart basketball,” said Nutt.  “Isaac had some really good moments tonight and our guards played well most of the time.”

            “But turnovers, most mental mistakes, really hurt us tonight,” said Nutt.  “We're normally a lot smarter than that when we handle the ball.  But give ULL credit, they forced us into some bad situations and forced a lot of those turnovers.”  ASU ended the contest with 16 turnovers, most leading to points for the Cajuns.

            Neither team led by more than six points in the game that featured some spectacular individual performances.  ASU built a six point lead at the half when Wells connected on one of his four 3-pointers in the first half, giving ASU a 45-39 edge at the break.

            The game started out with a scare as Banks sprained his knee less than a minute into the game.  Trying to pass out of a double-team after gathering a loose ball, a ULL player rolled up on Banks' leg that forced him out of the game for several minutes of the first half.

            Tipler scored 10 points and handed out eight assists with just two turnovers on the night.  Banks scored 14 points and Jim Jones added 11.  The bench contributed just three points, however, as the starters scored 62 of the 65 points on the night.

            ULL got 17 from Mitchell and 12 off the bench, all on three's, from Ross Mouton.  The Ragin' Cajuns entered the night as one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the league but connected on 10-of-27 from deep against the Indians as ASU's defensive efforts were spent trying to contain Southall and limit the advantage ULL has in size and athleticism.

            The loss could cost the Indians the second seed in the upcoming conference tournament.  ASU can still get the second seed and the first round bye, but must beat New Orleans on Saturday and hope for a Florida International victory at Middle Tennessee on Monday.