The University of Louisiana Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns travel to San Marcos Feb. 23 to take on the Bobcats, who are currently in a tie for first place with the Georgia State Panthers in conference play.
The loss to the University of Louisiana Monroe Warhawks (63-60) ended the Bobcat’s four-game win streak and moved Texas State (21-6, 10-4) into a first-place tie with Georgia State.
The Warhawks would hold lead scorer and junior guard Nijal Pearson to eight points, which is the first time since the team’s Jan. 26 loss to the Georgia Southern Eagles that Pearson has been held to single digits.
Instead, senior guard Tre’Larenz Nottingham would lead the Bobcat scoring effort with 22 points on the board followed by junior forward Eric Terry, who had 19 on the night.
The Texas State defense will have its hands full guarding ULL senior forward Jakeenan Grant, who is averaging 21 points a game while shooting almost 80 percent from the field, and senior forward Malki Marquetti, who has been a three-point machine for the Ragin’ Cajuns.
Bobcat head coach Danny Kaspar said the Bobcat’s defense will be tested early and often against a hot Lafayette team.
“We play another tough team Saturday. Lafayette is hot, they just beat UTA,” Kaspar said. “They’ve always been a good team and we know we have to shoot the ball better.”
Winning outright against the Ragin’ Cajuns at home Saturday and the rest of the regular season on the road, will give the Bobcats the best chance to make, and prepare for, the NCAA tournament. Something the team has not accomplished since 1997 when they were eliminated in the first round by Minnesota.