2014 NCAA Tournament Profile: Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns

Mar 16, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; Louisiana Lafayette Ragin Cajuns guard Kevin Brown (31) and teammates celebrate defeating the Georgia State Panthers 82-81 in the championship game of the Sun Belt Conference college basketball tournament at Lakefront Arena. Mandatory Credit: Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports

Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns

Record: (23-11, 11-7 Sun Belt)

RPI: 92

BPI: 123

Conference: Sun Belt

How They Qualified: Automatic (Won Conference Tournament)

The Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns had an impressive campaign coming in third place during the Sun Belt’s regular season then proceeding to upset the heavy favorite Georgia State Panthers in the finals of the conference tournament. These Ragin’ Cajuns are aptly named because they love getting up and down the floor, scoring 81.4 points per game. They are the 14 seed and their first round matchup will be against the number three Creighton Bluejays in the West Region.

What You Need to Know

Leading Scorer: Elfrid Payton (19.1 ppg)

Leading Rebounder: Shawn Long (10.5 rpg)

Leading Passer: Elfrid Payton (6.0 apg)

Bad Losses: South Alabama

Good Wins: Houston, Georgia State

What to Expect

Who knows if the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns will be able to stop Doug McDermott and Creighton on the defensive end, but they certainly have proved they can score with anyone. Nine players log at least 12 minutes per game in order to suit their up-tempo style. While the Sun Belt is a one bid league, it is worth noting that Georgia State won 25 games and is a formidable opponent. Also, Louisiana-Lafayette played the Arkansas Razorbacks, Baylor Bears, and Louisville Cardinals this season in order to get ready for the NCAA Tournament.

If the Ragin’ Cajuns were to win against Creighton, they would move on to play the winner of the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Baylor Bears in the round of 32.

The Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns are dancing!