ULM drops battle with 5/6 KU
LAWRENCE, Kan. - Junior Marvin Williams notched a game-high 19 points as the ULM men's basketball program hung around with No. 5/6 Kansas for much of a 80-63 defeat on Friday night at Allen Fieldhouse.
Williams, from Memphis, Tenn., drained a game-high eight field goals on 13 attempts as he stood his ground inside. He also grabbed a team-high six rebounds in 24 minutes.
Advertisement
Senior Amos Olatayo pitched in with 11 points on 5-for-10 shooting. It marked his ninth consecutive game reaching double-figures dating back to last season. Olatayo and senior Jayon James played 33 minutes each to lead ULM.
In his first collegiate game, freshman Nick Coppola registered 10 points and took it to the hole strong. He was one of three newcomers to earn the start along with Williams and junior Tylor Ongwae.
It was a seesaw battle early in the game as ULM and KU exchanged baskets in the first seven minutes. The Warhawks led, 15-13, with 13 minutes remaining in the half. Olatayo and Ongwae threw down back-to-back dunks to force a KU timeout.
The Warhawks stood tough and trailed just 34-30 after a pair of free throws by Millaun Brown with 3:22 left in the half. The Jayhawks took a 10 point lead, 42-32, into the intermission after a slight 8-2 run.
Williams had a game-high 12 points and five rebounds at the half and was six-for-eight from the floor. Olatayo drained four field goals for eight points.
ULM started the second half on a 5-0 run to cut the deficit to 42-37 after a three-pointer by Coppola and a lay-in by Williams. The Warhawks hung around for much of the second half, and were down just 51-43 at the 12:36 mark.
Kansas opened up an 18-point lead when sophomore Daniel Grieves answered with back-to-back threes to again cut the lead to 12 points, 73-61 with 2:35 remaining.
The Jayhawks were led by Andrew Wiggins with 16 points in a game-high 34 minutes. Wiggins was named the Preseason National Player of the Year by cbssports.com. Perry Ellis and Andrew White III tallied 12 points each.
ULM mixed and matched its lineups as 12 different student-athletes saw action, including seven newcomers.
The Warhawks will be back in action when they play their home opener on Monday, Nov. 18 against Samford at 7:00 p.m. at Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
Click Click Here to view this Link.Here to view this Link.