As cold as the weather

When the Cajuns got off the bus after Thursday night's 65-52 loss to Denver, we checked the weather conditions.

Temperature-5.  Wind Chill minus 13.

That sums up the final three and a half minutes of the basketball game at Magness Arena, where the Cajuns were outscored 12-2 and what could have been the first win for the Cajuns in Denver since 2006-07 wound up another frustrating loss.

The Cajuns (2-10), (0-1 SBC) actually lost the game much earlier than that.

Playing in the high altitude, the Cajuns substituted at the first media timeout.  Denver led 8-5.  Coach Bob Marlin, who started two junior college transfers, two freshmen and a sophomore last night, substituted four seniors and junior transfer David Perez.  Thirty seconds after the substitutions, Randell Daigle hit a three pointer to tie the game at eight.  And, that was the contribution of that group.  Three missed shot and four turnovers later, Denver went on a 12-0 run to make the score 20-8 and never trailed again.   The Cajuns were down by as many as 14 points, 26-12, and again at 33-19 before going to the locker room down by twelve points.  In that first half, the more athletic, quicker Cajuns were inexplicably outrebounded 17-9.  And, in a game where every possession counts, the Cajuns gave away nine of them.

But Louisiana regrouped at halftime.  Bryant Mbamalu's layup got the Cajuns back to within single digits at 37-29 at the 16:09 mark. But the Cajuns missed three chances to get closer.  Finally, Josh Browns jumper at the 12:41 mark cut the lead to six.  The Cajuns were getting offensive rebounds and forcing turnovers.  But again, the inability to make shots, both contested and free, cost the Cajuns many opportunities.  The Cajuns trailed by eight points at the media timeout at 11:37 mark.  Denver failed to score on seven straight possessions.  But the Cajuns only managed one field goal and 4-8 from the free throw line during that 4 1/2 minute stretch and could get no closer than two.  The lead was five when Travis Hallam intentionally fouled Josh Brown with 5:47 left.  With a chance for a four point possession, Brown made one of two free throws and then a Mbamalu turnover coupled with a Chase Hallam layup on the other end and what could have been a one or two point lead was back to six.

The Cajuns had one last gasp.  A Daigle layup with 3:43 left cut the Denver lead to three.  But what has happened in the final minutes in most of the Cajuns losses this season happened again.  Two missed free throws, a missed layup.  Another missed shot in close.  Two consecutive turnovers (mind you, at this point with 2:22 left, it's still a five point game.)  Two more turnovers.  Another missed shot.  And just like that, the lead is back to twelve.  It wound up being a 12-2 run to close the game.

THE GOOD:  The Cajuns forced eleven second half turnovers and outrebounded Denver 18-8 in the second stanza.  The Cajuns wound up with twelve offensive rebounds in the second half to zero for Denver.

THE BAD:  Way too many missed opportunities.  The Cajuns were only 13-23 from the free throw line in the second half, and that includes two straight free throws from Mbamalu with less than a minute to go, which, by the way, were the only points the Cajuns got in the last 3 1/2 minutes.

THE UGLY:  When you insert four seniors in the game against a team that was playing no seniors at the time and a tie game becomes a 12 point deficit in just a few minutes, that's (ahem) not a good thing.  Anyone question why these guys are no longer starters?  Time for some guys to quit pouting and start playing.  It's the only way this season will be salvaged.

Up next is North Texas, a winner tonight over UALR.  Gametime is set for 4 pm Saturday at the Super Pit.