Big game tonight for the Ragin’ Cajuns. We are on the road to take on Georgia Southern, which is off to a very good start. We haven’t played since our win over Georgia State last Thursday. Like that contest, this one will be a tough test for us as well.

Last Thursday evening, three of the five preseason first team All-Sun Belt selections were on the floor with Shawn Long and Georgia State’s backcourt duo of Ryan Harrow and R.J. Hunter. The Panthers were the unanimous preseason favorite to win the Sun Belt. The last time we faced them was in the SBC Tournament Championship game, when we came away with an 82-81 win in OT to capture the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

It was the best crowd of the season with 4,531 in attendance. Our fans continue to give us great support. We are doubling the next best home attendance average in the SBC. The Ragin' Cajun faithful made a big difference as they stayed with us and helped bring us back after we fell behind 9-0 and 31-14.

We went on a 26-9 run in last four minutes of the half to close to within one point. We took the lead early in the second half and then the game swung back and forth over the final twenty minutes. But with just 52 seconds remaining Devonta Walker made two free throws to put us ahead to stay.

All five starters finished in double figures. We were 31-of-38 from the free throw line and that was the difference.

It’s the first time in seven seasons that the Ragin’ Cajuns have started 4-0 in conference play. Overall it was our seventh win in eight games and ninth in our last eleven after starting the season 1-3. We are now 7-0 at home and have won 12 straight at the Cajundome dating back to last season.

Like a lot of teams, we have been at our best when we are at full strength. The lineup of Brian Williams, Devonta Walker, Shawn Long, Kasey Shepherd, and Jay Wright is 7-0 on the season.

As a team we are taking better care of the basketball, we are out-rebounding the opposition and shooting much better from the free throw line. Doing those three things well will get you a lot of wins and they have been a key to our recent success.

We will now put that 4-0 SBC record on the line against 3-1 Georgia Southern. The Eagles currently sit in second place. It’s the first game of a stretch that will see us play five games in ten days. After tonight’s game we return home for three games against South Alabama, Monroe and Arkansas State before traveling to Georgia State on Jan. 24. That game will be televised on ESPN3