The 2017-18 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns basketball team has won more games than any other team in school history.

Louisiana (26-4, 16-1 Sun Belt) racked up its record 26th victory Thursday night at the Cajundome, defeating Arkansas State 85-74.  The old record of 25 was held by the 1971-72 and 1999-2000 Cajun teams.

Frank Bartley IV scored 18 points to lead three Cajuns in double figures and, in the process, went over the 1,000 point mark in his Cajuns' career, accomplishing the feat in just two seasons.  Bartley's three point play with 4:54 remaining in the first half put him over the mark, becoming the third player this season to reach the milestone.

"Really happy for Frank," head coach Bob Marlin said.  "He's been such a great leader for us and to get that in just two years is pretty special."

Bryce Washington and JaKeenan Gant were the other Cajuns in double figures with 15 and twelve points respectively.  Washington led the Cajuns in rebounds with seven, while Marcus Stroman dished out eight assists.

Ty Cockfield led Arkansas State (10-20, 5-12) with 25 points, leading five Red Wolves in double figures.  Tristen Walley added 14 for the Red Wolves, while Tamas Bruce, Rashad Lindsey and Salim Boudie had eleven apiece.

"They've got some good players," Marlin said.  "Cockfield can really score the basketball.  We didn't do a good job of guarding them tonight.  They drove the ball on us all night long and they outrebounded us (31-27)."

The Red Wolves led 24-23 after a Cockfield layup with 8:04 remaining, but Cedric Russell hit a triple and Johnathan Stove hit a pair of layups.  After Walley scored for the Red Wolves, Malik Marquetti hit a bucket and Bartley hit his milestone en route to a 48-36 halftime lead.

The Cajuns used a 9-0 run early in the second half, capped by a Stroman behind the back assist to Washington for a dunk to increase the lead to 60-39  The lead grew to as many as 24 points on two different occasions, the last at 82-58 with 5:21 left before Arkansas State finished the game on a 12-1 run.

There were some anxious moments in the first half when Stove went down with an injury with 5:25 to go in the first half and had to be helped off the court.  But the senior guard returned briefly in the second half.

"B. J. (Athletic Trainer Duplantis) wanted him to run up and down the court a few times so we got him in there," Marlin said.  "I don't know if he'll be able to go on Saturday or not.  It's a pretty bad high ankle sprain, but he's rebounded from foot injuries before."

The Cajuns will close out the regular season Saturday on Senior Night against Little Rock, attempting to become the first Cajuns' team to go undefeated through an entire season in the Cajundome.  Tio off is scheduled for 7:00 pm.

"Our guys checked off another box (with the record win) tonight," Marlin said.  "They'll try to check off another one on Saturday."

 

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