IUFLA Posted November 18, 2021 Report Share Posted November 18, 2021 When: Sunday, November 21st 7:30 PM EST Where: Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, Bloomington, Indiana TV: BTN So far, the Rajun' Cajuns are 3-0 but have only played one D1 game (win over Southern Mississippi 66-45) sandwiched between wins over NAIA schools West Florida (one of my alma maters) and Xavier, Louisiana. 54.4% of minutes played and 46.9% of scoring return from 2020-21 roster. That team went 17-9 (10-7, 4th in Sun Belt Former Sam Houston St coach Bob Marlin is their coach. 208-152 at Louisiana, and 433-283 overall in his career. Last year they finished 170th in offensive rating, and 171st in defensive rating... They look to go about 8 deep... Can't find any video on them, but they are picked 2nd in the Sun Belt conference this year... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IUFLA Posted November 18, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2021 Found this preview of their season... 2. Louisiana Key Returners: Theo Akwuba, Brayan Au, Dou Gueye, Kobe Julien, Trajan Wesley (injury), Ty Harper, Durey Cadwell (injury) Key Losses: Cedric Russell (transfer), Mylik Wilson (transfer), Devin Butts (transfer) Key Newcomers: Greg Williams, Jr. (St. John’s), Jordan Brown (Arizona), Antwann Jones (Creighton), Jalen Dalcourt (San Jose St.), Joe Charles Lineup: View fullsize Outlook: In researching for this preview, I learned that in May, marlin fishermen caught a 683-pound tuna off the coast of Louisiana, which probably seems irrelevant to the Ragin Cajuns basketball team. But it did give me two thoughts: 1) that’s a f****** enormous fish (ok, not relevant); 2) the ocean is terrifying (do you have a point here, Jim?); and 3) Louisiana coach Bob Marlin did some angling for big fish in the waters of the transfer portal this offseason, and boy, did he hook some big ones himself. Considering his best team in Lafayette (2018) was loaded with transfers, that seems like a strong strategy for Marlin to rise back up to the top of the Sun Belt food chain. In Marlin’s defense, last year’s team was threatening to accomplish that, having swept eventual champion Texas State on the road to close the month of January as part of a 7-3 start to league play. Unfortunately, starting point guard Brayan Au went down with an injury the very next game, and the Cajuns stumbled to a 3-4 finish to the year against a soft-ish (albeit road-heavy) schedule. Au’s on-ball craft, passing vision, and size in the backcourt was mostly irreplaceable, despite the best efforts of late enrollee Ty Harper, and the on/off numbers emphasize that point: View fullsize Au was actually already playing through a knee injury after having surgery in October, and when you combine a fully healthy Au with a more experienced Harper, Louisiana could have a formidable point guard tandem. That’s not even mentioning Trajan Wesley, a feisty reserve who missed all of last season with injury; the 5’9 junior is not flashy, but he’s proven himself to be a steadying presence when on the floor. And really, point guard is the only question mark on this roster. Marlin’s toughest squads dominate the paint, and the three-headed monster of Theo Akwuba (reigning Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year), fifth-year big Dou Gueye, and Arizona transfer/former McDonald’s All-American Jordan Brown will do just that. All three are dominant two-way rebounders, and Akwuba and Brown will both protect the rim with ferocity. Akwuba showed time and again last year that even when he was slightly out of position, he could still swallow up quality players inside: Marlin is flexible with how he structures his offense, and having both Akwuba and Brown gives him two powerful post up threats on that end through whom he can run things. Gueye is not the same kind of physical specimen, but he’s mobile and active, and there’s at least a sliver of a chance he becomes useful as a perimeter shooter as well. Many power conference teams would be content with the size and talent that trio possesses; it may be the best in all of true mid-majordom. To soak up any leftover minutes, rising sophomore Isaiah Richards is back as a useful bench piece (and potentially a future star in the league once he’s an upperclassman), and talented forward Kobe Julien will hopefully be healthy as well. Julien is a different kind of player – smaller, more of a ‘tweener type – who allows Marlin to play some small ball and weaponize his centers with a true four-out look around them. He’s struggled with injuries so far in his career, but he has sky-high potential if he can get on the floor consistently. So far, we’ve only referenced one of Marlin’s big catches this offseason, but the wing rotation looks stacked thanks to his efforts, as well. The gem is Greg Williams, a local kid who is coming back home from St. John’s for his senior year. A bulldog of a defender and a smooth outside shooter (led the Big East in 3P% in conference play), Williams will be a matchup nightmare for thinner Sun Belt guards. He’s also capable of sliding over to the point at times if Au/Harper struggle. Another Lafayette native, Jalen Dalcourt arrives from San Jose State, a scoring-minded guard whose efficiency withered away while stuck on a mostly hopeless SJSU team playing its home games at an exercise facility in Phoenix, AZ. The final pieces of the puzzle are Creighton transfer Antwann Jones, an athletic, multi-positional wing who started his career at Memphis, and Durey Cadwell, a JUCO transfer whose first two seasons in Lafayette have been derailed by knee injuries. Fortunately for Marlin, he has the depth to survive an injury or poor season from one or two of this group. Bottom Line: Like Richie Riley at South Alabama, Marlin faces the challenge of integrating so many vital new pieces into the lineup. It helps that this offseason more resembles a usual one, and the Ragin Cajuns should have a full non-conference slate to sort out roles and rotations. Marlin has the roster to play how he wants – downhill towards the rim, extended and active on the defensive end – so the sky is the limit for Louisiana. Marlin’s track record indicates he’s capable of engineering a cohesive squad, and if he’s able to do that, he may reel in the ultimate trophy fish: an NCAA Tournament appearance." Just a note, Brayan Au has not played yet this season after coming off a knee injury from last year... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyHoosier22 Posted November 18, 2021 Report Share Posted November 18, 2021 Pretty solid mid major, shouldn’t have any issues if we show up but that was a pretty intense game last night so you always wonder about the let down… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FritzIam4IU Posted November 18, 2021 Report Share Posted November 18, 2021 Take it one game at a time... Get this win and move to 4-0 and the team will probably be rewarded with being ranked in top 25 next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rico Posted November 18, 2021 Report Share Posted November 18, 2021 Hmmmmm...I found this: https://www.rollbamaroll.com/2021/10/24/22743813/alabama-crimson-tide-basketball-wins-charity-exhibition-louisiana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IUFLA Posted November 18, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2021 5 minutes ago, IndyHoosier22 said: Pretty solid mid major, shouldn’t have any issues if we show up but that was a pretty intense game last night so you always wonder about the let down… I was thinking the same thing...Trap game... But Coach Woody has shown that he's not going to tolerate bad play..."Hey, I have someone here on the bench (sans Trayce and Race) that is just as good as you are, and they're hungry to play." And he has one of the great scowls in all of sports... Michael Durr got a look that would melt iron... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KoB2011 Posted November 18, 2021 Report Share Posted November 18, 2021 2 hours ago, IUFLA said: I was thinking the same thing...Trap game... But Coach Woody has shown that he's not going to tolerate bad play..."Hey, I have someone here on the bench (sans Trayce and Race) that is just as good as you are, and they're hungry to play." And he has one of the great scowls in all of sports... Michael Durr got a look that would melt iron... And Durr played like crap and laughed about it, and then Durr didn’t play again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FKIM01 Posted November 18, 2021 Report Share Posted November 18, 2021 2 hours ago, rico said: Hmmmmm...I found this: https://www.rollbamaroll.com/2021/10/24/22743813/alabama-crimson-tide-basketball-wins-charity-exhibition-louisiana Jahvon Quinerly sounds like a problem. He was a malcontent at Villanova as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Proud2BAHoosier Posted November 18, 2021 Report Share Posted November 18, 2021 6 hours ago, IUFLA said: I was thinking the same thing...Trap game... But Coach Woody has shown that he's not going to tolerate bad play..."Hey, I have someone here on the bench (sans Trayce and Race) that is just as good as you are, and they're hungry to play." And he has one of the great scowls in all of sports... Michael Durr got a look that would melt iron... Supposedly XJ got that look when he came out with his 4th foul.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrflynn03 Posted November 19, 2021 Report Share Posted November 19, 2021 8 hours ago, IUFLA said: I was thinking the same thing...Trap game... But Coach Woody has shown that he's not going to tolerate bad play..."Hey, I have someone here on the bench (sans Trayce and Race) that is just as good as you are, and they're hungry to play." And he has one of the great scowls in all of sports... Michael Durr got a look that would melt iron... He looks like simultaneously wth did I just see?, and I'm about to rip a new one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IowaHoosierFan Posted November 19, 2021 Report Share Posted November 19, 2021 Is Leal hurt? Is he getting any playing time? Anyone think he might transfer if he doesn't get any this year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hippopotamo Posted November 19, 2021 Report Share Posted November 19, 2021 26 minutes ago, IowaHoosierFan said: Is Leal hurt? Is he getting any playing time? Anyone think he might transfer if he doesn't get any this year? Leal is the biggest IU fan on the team. He’s not transferring. That said, I wouldn’t mind if he got a few of galloway’s minutes even though his defense isn’t great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indykev Posted November 19, 2021 Report Share Posted November 19, 2021 4 hours ago, IowaHoosierFan said: Is Leal hurt? Is he getting any playing time? Anyone think he might transfer if he doesn't get any this year? He wont and shouldnt play until he learns to guard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rico Posted November 19, 2021 Report Share Posted November 19, 2021 1 hour ago, Indykev said: He wont and shouldnt play until he learns to guard. Or until we need a shooter on the floor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indykev Posted November 19, 2021 Report Share Posted November 19, 2021 31 minutes ago, rico said: Or until we need a shooter on the floor? No....others can score and play D. If that were the case he would be playing but the D is much more important to this coach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jv1972iu Posted November 21, 2021 Report Share Posted November 21, 2021 This game has me nervous. I'm expecting for a tough game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seeking6 Posted November 21, 2021 Report Share Posted November 21, 2021 1 hour ago, jv1972iu said: This game has me nervous. I'm expecting for a tough game. Holiday weeks always have me nervous because kids are still kids. Campus is starting to exit, people have travel/family on their mind. Don't care how they do it this week. Just want W's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Daily Hoosier Posted November 21, 2021 Report Share Posted November 21, 2021 Jackson-Davis has hurried up his giddyup to higher rebound and shot block totals https://www.thedailyhoosier.com/iu-basketball-jackson-davis-has-hurried-up-his-giddyup-to-higher-rebound-and-shot-block-totals/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbmhoosier Posted November 21, 2021 Report Share Posted November 21, 2021 2 hours ago, jv1972iu said: This game has me nervous. I'm expecting for a tough game. We should win by 40. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IUFLA Posted November 21, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2021 2 minutes ago, dbmhoosier said: We should win by 40. And if we only win by 39, blame Clif?😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jv1972iu Posted November 21, 2021 Report Share Posted November 21, 2021 21 minutes ago, dbmhoosier said: We should win by 40. 😂 Okay! I'm going to stop worrying. Not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbmhoosier Posted November 21, 2021 Report Share Posted November 21, 2021 39 minutes ago, IUFLA said: And if we only win by 39, blame Clif?😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IUFLA Posted November 21, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2021 Oooh, yeah. @dbmhoosier... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyhoosier29 Posted November 21, 2021 Report Share Posted November 21, 2021 On 11/19/2021 at 4:47 AM, Indykev said: He wont and shouldnt play until he learns to guard. Lander can’t play D either. 🤷🏻♂️ He got some minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thirdgenhoosier Posted November 21, 2021 Report Share Posted November 21, 2021 Going to be curious to see how we come out and play today after a big win. And Louisiana has a lot of size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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