NCAA Basketball: Ja Morant, UL Monroe top mid-major performers

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EAST LANSING, MI – NOVEMBER 14: Michael Ertel #2 of the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks drives past Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans in the second half at Breslin Center on November 14, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

Best Performance, Team – UL Monore

The UL Monroe Warhawks beat Sun Belt rival Louisiana for the first time in four years on Saturday.

The game came down to the wire as the Warhawks jumped out to an early 53-39 lead at halftime, before being outscored by 10 by the Cajuns in the second half.

But, Monroe held on thanks in large part to Daishon Smith’s clutch free throw shooting. The senior guard was a perfect 13-13 from the line and finished with 27-7-8-2. Smith’s teammates Michael Ertel added 23.

JaKeenan Gant led the Cajuns with 31-10-4-4-2. The senior forward has been putting up gaudy numbers all year. It was his fourth straight double-double, seventh of the season, and third time he’s scored at least 30 in the last four outings.

With the win, UL Monroe announced themselves as contenders in the Sun Belt race down the stretch.

Georgia State and Texas State have been at the top for most of the season thus far, but Georgia Southern, UT Arlington, Troy, and the two Louisiana schools all have the ability to make some noise.

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