Waves Drown Cold Shooting Cajuns

The weather was sunny and mild in Malibu.

Except in the Firestone Fieldhouse where the Cajuns were frigid.

Louisiana suffered an ice cold shooting night and Pepperdine used a 16-2 run early in the second half to break open a tight game and take a 79-59 win over the Cajuns Friday night.

The point total was the lowest of the season for the Cajuns, who came into the game averaging 88.8 points per game.

Louisiana (3-6) lost its sixth straight road game of the season. Pepperdine (7-4) has won five straight.

The Cajuns led 34-33 at halftime despite shooting just 33% from the field. And, the shooting just got worse in the second half as the Cajuns got just 25 points after intermission. For the game, the Cajuns were just 19-62 (30.6%).

"We felt like we were the tougher team in the first half and we told our guys the toughest team in the second half would win," head coach Bob Marlin said.  "But we didn’t shoot it well and we got frustrated and things just fell apart."

Shawn Long’s three pointer got the Cajuns within two points, 41-39 with 16:33 to go but Stacy Davis and Jeremy Major combined for 13 of the Waves’ 16 points during the run to blow open the game, 57-41 just four minutes later. The Cajuns didn’t get another field goal until Hayward Register hit a layup with 9: to play, but by then Pepperdine had the commanding lead. The Cajuns never got closer than twelve the rest of the way.

Shawn Long had his 58th career double double for the Cajuns with 15 points and 14 rebounds in the loss. Jay Wright was the only other Cajun in double figures with eleven.

Pepperdine shot 49 percent for the contest and was led by Jett Raines, as the senior from Coppell, TX had 21 points. Stacy Davis added 17 points and led the Waves in rebounds with 12. Jeremy Major chipped in 13 points, while LaMond Murray, Jr. chipped in ten.

The Cajuns will return home Monday against New Orleans at 7pm at the Cajundome.