The University of Louisiana at Monroe Warhawks were thoroughly outplayed by the University of South Alabama Jaguars, falling 89-54 at the Mitchell Center. South Alabama, ranked 175th in the NET rankings, dominated the contest from start to finish, taking a 42-14 lead into halftime and cruising to a 35-point victory. Louisiana-Monroe, ranked 355th in the NET rankings, was unable to mount a significant challenge.
The final margin was a testament to the decisive nature of the outcome, with South Alabama outscoring ULM 47-40 in the second half to seal the win. The performance of one player, in particular, stood out in this contest, eclipsing their season averages in a dominating display that set the tone for the Jaguars' lopsided victory.
A 29-point, 5-rebound performance from Adam Olsen set the tone for South Alabama, as his shooting helped to establish a significant lead. His 9-15 field goal shooting and 8-13 mark from three-point range were key factors in the team's success. With Olsen's scoring leading the way, South Alabama was able to build a substantial advantage over Louisiana-Monroe. The freshman standout Chaze Harris also made significant contributions, including 15 points and 5 assists, which helped to facilitate the team's offense.
Erupting for 29 points, Adam Olsen's effort was complemented by the all-around play of Jayden Cooper, who added 14 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. His 5-12 field goal shooting and 3-10 mark from three-point range were notable aspects of his performance. The play of Chaze Harris, with his 4-5 field goal shooting and 7-8 mark from the free throw line, also helped to round out the team's attack, as South Alabama ultimately secured a decisive 89-54 victory over Louisiana-Monroe.
Despite the loss, Krystian Lewis's 20 points on 5-20 shooting from the field were a notable effort, though his 4-14 mark from three-point range was a reflection of the team's overall struggles with outside shooting. His ability to get to the free throw line, where he converted 6-8 attempts, was a rare bright spot for Louisiana-Monroe. The team's leading scorer, Lewis also chipped in with 7 rebounds and 3 assists, but his efforts were ultimately not enough to stem the tide of the South Alabama offense.
Finishing with 13 points on 5-14 shooting, MJ Russell was one of the few other Louisiana-Monroe players to reach double figures, but his production was largely overshadowed by the team's defensive struggles. Russell's 6 rebounds were a respectable total, and he also added an assist, but like Lewis, his overall performance was hindered by the team's inability to contain South Alabama's offense. Meanwhile, Alex Molofeev's 7 points on 3-8 shooting were a relatively quiet outing, though his 5 assists led the team and suggested that he was at least able to find some openings in the South Alabama defense.
A notable deviation from expectations came in the form of Lavell Brodnex's performance, with his 6 points and 4 rebounds falling significantly short of his season averages, as Brodnex averaged 14.1 points and 7.8 rebounds per game coming into the contest, highlighting a challenging night for Brodnex against South Alabama's defense.
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Final
The pre-game prediction of a South Alabama victory by 19 points proved to be conservative, as the Jaguars ultimately won by 35. This discrepancy suggests that Louisiana-Monroe struggled more than expected to contain South Alabama's offense, while also failing to muster a sufficient attack of their own. The significant margin of victory indicates that the game was decided by a combination of factors, rather than a single dominant performance.
A closer examination of the team statistics reveals that South Alabama's exceptional shooting and Louisiana-Monroe's inability to keep pace were the primary factors in the game's outcome. South Alabama's elevated effective field goal percentage and three-point shooting percentage suggest a high level of efficiency and accuracy on offense, which allowed them to build a substantial lead. Conversely, Louisiana-Monroe's struggles with shooting, as evidenced by their lower-than-average effective field goal percentage, hindered their ability to stay competitive. These disparities in offensive performance ultimately decided the game, as South Alabama's hot shooting and Louisiana-Monroe's cold shooting created an insurmountable gap.
The outcome of this contest has significant implications for both teams' postseason aspirations, as they both rely on winning the Sun Belt Conference tournament to advance to the NCAA Tournament. For South Alabama, the victory bolsters their position in the conference standings, potentially setting them up for a more favorable draw in the tournament. Meanwhile, Louisiana-Monroe's loss further diminishes their already slim chances, as they now face an uphill battle to gain momentum heading into the conference tournament. Given the disparity in their records and NET rankings, it's clear that South Alabama is better positioned to make a run in the tournament, but their inability to notch quality wins, as evidenced by their 0-2 mark against Quad 2 opponents, raises questions about their ability to capitalize on this momentum. Ultimately, South Alabama's trajectory suggests they are a program on the rise, while Louisiana-Monroe's continued struggles underscore the profound challenges they face in reversing their fortunes, and it's likely that only one of these teams will be relevant come conference tournament time.