Brad Kemp/ragincajuns.com
Brad Kemp/ragincajuns.com
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The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns have struggled on the defensive end this season, but found that part of their game down the stretch, holding the University of New Orleans without a field goal over the last 6:47, beating the Privateers 79-69 at the Cajundome Monday night.

Christavious Gill's jumper gave the Privateers a 63-62 lead, but the Privateers could only manage seven free throws the rest of the game.  Louisiana (4-6) closed the game on a 15-2 run over the last 5:44 to notch the win before 3,401 fans.

Bryce Washington had a double double for the Cajuns with 16 points and ten rebounds.  Fellow sophomore Johnathon Stove also had 16 points and chipped in six rebounds.  Shawn Long, who did not play in the first half (coach's decision) scored 13 points and had eight rebounds in just 17 minutes.

Gill led UNO (3-7) with 17 points, 15 in the second half.  Nate Frye added 16 points and Erik Thomas had 15.

Trailing 67-64 with 5:44 left, Washington hit a free throw and Hayward Register drilled a three pointer to give the Cajuns a 68-67 lead.  Frye hit a free throw to tie the game, but Shawn Long hit a pair with 4:04 left to give the Cajuns the lead for good.  Register followed with another triple and after Kevin Hill hit a free throw, Long had an old fashioned three point play to give the Cajuns a 76-69 lead at the 2:56 mark.  The Cajuns kept things interesting by missing five straight free throws, but Register hit one wit 1:14 left and Washington hit two with :42 left for the final margin.

Over the final 6:47, UNO was 0-6 from the field with a pair of turnovers.

The back and forth game featured ten ties and twenty lead changes.  UNO's biggest lead was six points in the first half at the 9:20 mark while the Cajuns never led by more than three until Register's second triple of the game.

UNO shot 38% in each half, finishing 23-60 for the contest.  They were 19-26 from the free throw line with four of those misses in the last 4:26.

The Cajuns, meanwhile, after shooting just 11-36 (30.8%) in the first half, came back to shoot 15-29 (51.7) after intermission.  Louisiana was just 23-40 (57.5%) from the free throw line.

The Cajuns led by three points, 60-57 after a Long dunk, but then turned the ball over five times in the next two and a half minutes.  But the Cajuns defense forced a couple of turnovers of their own, and coerced the Privateers into four missed shots to keep UNO to just one field goal during that stretch.

The Cajuns will take some time off for the holidays and return to action with an exhibition game against Spring Hill College at the Cajundome on December 30th.  Admission to the game will be free.

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