RED WOLVES RUN PAST LOUISIANA, 88-69

Body

LAFAYETTE – Devin Carter scored 19 of his game-high 22 points in the second half and Arkansas State made 16 of its last 18 shots down the stretch to erase an eight-point deficit in the second half and defeat the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns, 88-69, in a Sun Belt Conference men’s basketball game on Monday at the Cajundome.

Deven Simms came off the bench to score 20 points, including 18 in the second half, as Arkansas State (16-6, 7-2 SBC) earned its first victory in Lafayette since Dec. 17, 2006 while moving into a tie with Georgia Southern for first place in the SBC standings. Louisiana, which dropped its third straight Monday night game, fell to 14-8 overall and 4-5 in SBC play.

Louisiana trailed 28-26 at halftime before opening the second half on a 15-5 run that was capped by a driving layup by Frank Bartley, giving the Ragin’ Cajuns a 41-33 lead with 12:55 remaining and forcing Arkansas State to call timeout.

The Red Wolves, who outscored Louisiana 60-43 in the second half, then responded by making their next 13 shots from the floor as Carter opened the stretch with a jumper before Rashad Lindsey would later sink a 3-pointer. After Carter and Louisiana’s Justin Miller traded buckets, Arkansas State took the lead for good when Conner Kern drained a 3-pointer for a 46-44 lead with 10:14 remaining.

After Jerekius Davis hit a 3-pointer to get Louisiana as close as 50-47 with 8:16 remaining, Arkansas State put the game away with a 13-1 run as Simms scored on three layups with Carter adding a bucket and a 3-pointer and Lindsey scoring on a driving layup.

Arkansas State finished 31-for-59 (52.5 percent) from the floor for the game and 19-for-27 (70.4 percent) in the second half. The Red Wolves made 7 of 8 3-pointers in the second half and were 15-for-17 from the free throw line.

Lindsey added 17 points for the Red Wolves with Tamas Bruce scoring 11, all in the first half.

Bartley led Louisiana with 18 points while adding seven rebounds and a career-high eight assists. Davis added 14 points and career-high nine boards for the Ragin’ Cajuns with Jay Wright scoring all 14 points in the second half and Justin Miller scoring all 11 after the break.

Louisiana’s Bryce Washington, who entered the game second in the nation in double-doubles (16), finished with nine points and seven rebounds – the first time this season the junior forward did not record double-digits in either category in the same game.

Louisiana will return to action on Saturday (Feb. 4) when it visits Georgia State in a 1:15 p.m. CST contest at GSU Sports Arena.