Inside Warhawk Basketball
After winning three of their first five games,
Louisiana-Monroe dropped four straight including
Advertisement
the conference opener at North Texas. The
Warhawks ducked no one in their non-conference
slate that included losses at LSU, Oklahoma
State and Alabama.
Louisiana-Monroe was picked for fifth in the
Western Division in the preseason despite
picking up one first-place vote. The Warhawks
are one of three teams in the division returning
all five starters from last season.
Still, despite the experience on the squad,
Louisiana-Monroe has struggled defensively. The
Warhawks ranked 292th in the nation in scoring
defense at 75.8 points per game and 264th in
field goal percentage defense at 45.6 percent.
NOTES, QUOTES
•Tony
Hopper is second in school history in
three-point baskets with 197. He's also up to
12th in school history with 1,378 points. Hopper
also is eighth all-time in assists with 287 and
fifth in steals at 175.
Key Early Season Conference Game:
Louisiana-Monroe lost its conference opener
at North Texas, 79-62. Picked to finish near or
at the bottom of the Sun Belt, the Warhawks must
regroup quickly to avoid the fate.
Last Year's Conference Record: 6-12,
tied for fifth in the Western Division.
Quote To Note:
"It's another great
milestone in Tony's career here
at ULM. He's in the top-10 in a
bunch of statistical categories,
so to do all of that and also
receive his degree is very
gratifying for myself, his
family as well as for Tony."
-Coach
Orlando Early when Tony
Hooper received his degrees in a
special ceremony on Dec. 10.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
What We Learned In November:
Louisiana-Monroe's shooting problems could be
season-long issue. The Warhawks shot 38.2
percent (21-for-55) from the field against
Louisiana Tech and then shot 35.4 percent
(17-of-48) the next time out against Alabama.
Louisiana-Monroe has shot 36.9 percent
(38-for-103) from the field during December. As
a result, the assists and assist-turnover ratio
are next to last in the country. Valuing the
basketball is an issue as well, as the Warhawks
are 328th of 334 team in turnovers per game and
312th in turnover margin.
December At A Glance: The Warhawks'
next league game is at Denver on Dec. 19. and
Louisiana-Monroe's first league home date is
Dec. 31 against Troy.
Player Rotation:
Usual Starters-F
Rudy Turner, F
Lawrence Gilbert, G Tony Hooper,
G
Key
Reserves-Warren Fuselier,
Sykes,
Roster Report:
•G Tony Hopper is making the most out
of a fifth year of eligibility that was granted
by the NCAA through a medical hardship. Hopper
played in only five games last season before a
broken foot shut him down for the year.
•Of the seven new Warhawk faces this
season, five are junior college transfers