Career highs for Thibodeaux, Champion not enough at Cajundome

Thibodeaux finished with a game-high 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting

LAFAYETTE, La. – Senior Travin Thibodeaux scored 14 of his career-high 23 points in the second half and Diontae Champion came off the bench with 11 points and seven rebounds in the University of New Orleans’ (2-7) 87-65 setback at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (9-2) Saturday night at the Cajundome.

Thibodeaux went 10-of-14 from the field and connected on two triples for the first time in his four-year career. The Plaquemine native also pulled down five rebounds, second on the club behind Champion’s seven.

Making his Privateer debut was Scott Plaisance, who scored six points in nine minutes of action.

FIRST HALF
UNO shot 57.7 percent from the floor in the opening stanza but went into the half trailing 42-35 as the Ragin’ Cajuns were led by JaKeenan Gant’s 17 points in the period. Champion went a perfect 4-for-4 from the field for eight points, Michael Zeno added six points and four rebounds and Bryson Robinson and Troy Green scored five points apiece.

SECOND HALF
Thibs went 6-of-8 in the second but ULL outscored New Orleans 45-to-30 in the half to extend its win streak to five and home record to 6-0 with the 87-65 victory. All five starters reached double figures for Lafayette, led by Gant’s double-double of 21 points and 11 rebounds.

NEXT UP
The Privateers welcome Oklahoma Panhandle State University Monday at 7 p.m. followed by a nonconference contest at UAB Wednesday at 7 p.m.

SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans are encouraged to follow @UNOPrivateers on Twitter, @UNOPrivateers on Instagram, like /UNOPrivateers on Facebook and subscribe to the PrivateerAthletics YouTube channel.

FINAL SCORE: Louisiana 87, New Orleans 65

UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA: Dec. 19 vs. Southeastern Louisiana – 7 p.m. – Lafayette, La. (Cajundome)

NEWSPAPER BOX SCORE
New Orleans vs Louisiana
12/16/17 7:00 p.m. at Lafayette, La. | Cajundome

LOUISIANA 87, NEW ORLEANS 65

NEW ORLEANS (2-7) Thibodeaux, Travin 10-14 1-2 23; Champion, Diontae 4-5 3-4 11; Green, Troy 3-5 1-3 7; Robinson, Bryson 1-5 3-4 6; Zeno, Michael 3-8 0-0 6; Plaisance, Scott 2-5 1-2 6; Puou, Makur 1-2 2-2 4; Rosser, Damion 1-2 0-0 2; Charles, Ezekiel 0-2 0-0 0; Jiles, Matthew 0-1 0-0 0; Riek, Bol 0-1 0-0 0; Harrison, Tyren 0-1 0-0 0; Berzat, Lamont 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 25-52 11-17 65

LOUISIANA (9-2) Gant, Jakeenan 8-13 5-7 21; Bartley, Frank 5-9 6-6 19; Washington, Bryce 4-8 4-4 12; Marquetti, Malik 3-5 2-2 10; Stroman, Marcus 3-7 2-3 10; Russell, Cedric 2-4 0-0 6; Stalcup, Larenz 2-2 0-0 4; Stove, Johnathan 1-2 1-3 3; Hardy, P.J. 1-1 0-0 2; Aucoin, Mason 0-0 0-0 0; Broussard, Jacob 0-0 0-0 0; Davis, Jerekius 0-1 0-0 0; Miller, Justin 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 29-53 20-25 87

Halftime Score–Louisiana 42, New Orleans 35. 3-point goals–New Orleans 4-11 (Thibodeaux 2-3; Robinson 1-5; Plaisance 1-1; Harrison 0-1; Berzat 0-1), Louisiana 9-17 (Bartley 3-5; Stroman 2-4; Marquetti 2-3; Russell 2-4; Gant 0-1). Fouled out–New Orleans-None, Louisiana-None. Rebounds–New Orleans 24 (Champion 7), Louisiana 33(Gant 11). Assists–New Orleans 13 (Robinson 3), Louisiana 21 (Stroman 7). Total fouls–New Orleans 20, Louisiana 16. Technical fouls–New Orleans-None, Louisiana-None. Att-3445