Cajuns Host UTA in Wright’s Final Home Game

The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns host UTA tonight in the final home game of the season at the Cajundome.

Tipoff time is slated for 7:15 pm.  The Louisiana Athletic Department is offering $5 tickets for tonight's game with fans showing a ticket to Cajuns' baseball or softball.

It's also the final home game for Cajuns' senior point guard Jay Wright, who dazzled the crowd with his individual performance Thursday night against Texas State, scoring 12 straight points in the final 2:15 of regulation and 17 in a span of 4:21 to lead the Cajuns (19-11, 9-8 Sun Belt) to a comeback overtime victory over the Bobcats, 94-84.

To appreciate what Wright is doing this season, you just have to take a look at numbers.  The Rincon, GA native has done nothing but get better in his three years in a Cajun uniform and has made an indelible mark on the record books.

His improvement, especially in his senior season,  has been nearly across the board:

SCORING:  Soph 9.1, Jr. 8.9,, Sr. 15-4

FG PCT:  Soph .103-268 (.384), Jr. 99-263 (.376), Sr., 150-351 (.483)

3 PT PCT:  Soph 30-75 (.405), Jr:  35-103 (.340), Sr. 47-134 (.351)

FT PCT  Soph: 83-138 (.601), Jr. 61-100 (.610), Sr. 97-140 (.693)

ASST/TO Ratio:  Soph 127/78, Jr. 116/75, Sr. 121/68

Steals: 31/38/56

With tonight's game, Wright will move into 8th place all-time in starts with 97.  He needs three points to move into 35th place in scoring and 33 points shy of 34th.  He is already eighth all time in assists and needs seven more to tie Michael Allen for 7th.

He is also the Cajuns' best on-ball defender and has frustrated the other team's leading scorer more often than not.

Wright and his teammates will have their hands full tonight against the league champions.  UTA (24-6, 14-3 Sun Belt), clinched the outright title Thursday night in Monroe and they handed the Cajuns their worst loss of the season (108-71) in Arlington back in January.

Kevin Hervey, a Player of the Year candidate, leads the Mavs in scoring at 16.7 per game.  Erick Neal leads the Sun Belt in assists at 6.5 per game.  He notched 13 in the January meeting.

The Cajuns could be seeded anywhere from fifth to eighth in the Sun Belt Tournament beginning Wednesday in New Orleans.