Quick Start Fuels Cajuns Past Little Rock, 77-63

The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns opened up with an 18-2 run and were never headed as the Cajuns won their league opener over Little Rock, 77-63 Friday night at the Jack Stephens Center.

JaKeenan Gant and Bryce Washington each had double doubles for Louisiana (11-3, 1-0 Sun Belt) as Louisiana won for the second straight year in Little Rock.

Gant had a game high 20 points and ten rebounds, while Washington scored 15 points and hauled in 19 boards as the Cajuns won the rebounding battle 45-26.

"Our rebounding was the difference tonight," head coach Bob Marlin said.  "That enabled us to get off to a good start and take command early."

Frank Bartley was the third Cajun in double figures with 16 points, as the Cajuns shared the basketball again Friday night, garnering 18 assists on 26 made baskets.

Anthony Black led Little Rock (3-11, 0-1) with 14 points, with twelve coming after intermission.  Andre Jones added 13 for the Trojans.

The Cajuns also excelled at the free throw line, hitting 20-24 from the charity stripe, while the home team was just 3-12.

Gant hit a pair of layups and Bartley scored inside to give the Cajuns an early 6-0 lead.  Oliver Black got the Trojans on the board with a dunk, but the Cajuns scored the next dozen points as Washington scored inside, Bartley hit a three pointer, Gant got a pair of free throws and Malik Marquetti hit a layup and a triple to cap the run.

The Cajuns got another 9-0 run later in the half to take their biggest lead, 38-15 with 4:05 in the first half before Little Rock cut the lead to 42-24 at the half.

Back to back three pointers by the Trojans got the lead down to twelve points early in the second half, but a 13-4 run got the lead back up to 21 and the Trojans didn't get any closer than twelve points after that.

"I didn't think we played very well in the second half," Marlin said.  We didn't guard them as well as we did early in the game and got careless with the ball a little bit."

The Cajuns will travel to Jonesboro, trying to get the road sweep Sunday afternoon at 3:30pm.