LAFAYETTE, La. (1/3/08) ? Despite a strong return by Adrian Banks who came off the bench to score 20 points, Louisiana-Lafayette boosted its Sun Belt Conference record to 3-0 by defeating Arkansas State, 73-63, Thursday night at the Cajundome. ASU dropped to 6-7 overall and 1-2 in league play.
“Our guys played hard and physical,” said ASU Head Coach Dickey Nutt. “Adrian is an outstanding player. He has worked very hard and has been very patient. We just faced a good team tonight.”
Banks, a senior, returned to play after missing six games. Coming in for the first time at the 15:08 mark in the first half, he hit his first seven shots and showed no signs of rust from the layoff. He ended the night connecting on seven of 10 shots from the field. Teammate Ryan Wedel added 15 points and Yima Chia-Kur pumped in another 13 points and five rebounds to lead the Indians.
Both teams struggled early with neither scoring until ULL's Elijah Millsap hit a free throw two minutes into the game following a Kewain Gant foul. ASU then caught on fire behind the shooting by Banks, Wedel, and Chia-Kur who helped give the Tribe an 11-point first-half lead with 11:43 on the clock. ULL's Randell Daigle and Millsap then went to work and helped the Ragin' Cajuns regain the lead, 36-32, at the half.
ASU recaptured a one-point 41-40 edge when Banks popped in a three-pointer at the 16:08 mark in the game's final period. The score see-sawed until Millsap hit another trey with 5:20 left and David Dees added two consecutive three-pointers a couple of minutes later to put ULL on top for good.
Dees led the Cajuns with 17 points with Millsap adding 16 and Daigle 14. Millsap had eight boards to lead all rebounders in the game.
“We've got to get tougher and play better on the road,” said Nutt. “This is a tough loss for us. We've got to be tougher, mentally and physically.”
Arkansas State doesn't have much time to ponder the loss as instate rival Arkansas-Little Rock comes to the Convocation Center Saturday at 7 p.m.
“Arkansas-Little Rock has a leg up on everybody else in the league,” said Nutt. “They went to New Orleans and won. We really need a great crowd Saturday night. We've got to rest up and be ready.”
?ASU?
