Brown Leads Louisiana To Opening Night Win Over Centenary, 106-55

LAFAYETTE – Jordan Brown picked up where he left off from last season, scoring a game-high 26 points and grabbing nine rebounds while five players finished in double figures as the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns rolled to a 106-55 win over Centenary College in the 2022-23 season-opener on Monday at the Cajundome.

Jalen Dalcourt came off the bench to score 13 points for Louisiana (1-0) with Greg Williams, Jr., adding 11 and the tandem of Themus Fulks and Chancellor White 10. Joe Charles grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds as the Ragin’ Cajuns never trailed as they limited Centenary to 19-for-67 (28.4 percent) from the floor and held a 49-29 advantage on the glass.

Brown, the Preseason Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year, finished 9-for-12 from the floor and 8-for-9 from the free throw line. The 6-foot-11 junior dominated in the post against the smaller Centenary squad as Louisiana scored 40 points in the paint and built a 59-21 lead at the break.

All 10 players who received playing time in the opener for Louisiana scored at least six points with Charles, Kentrell Garnett and freshman Vinny Sigona each chipping in with six. Terence Lewis II, making his debut for Louisiana, earned the start and finished with nine points and nine rebounds.

A 3-pointer and dunk by Dalcourt opened a decisive 37-9 run for Louisiana after Centenary cut the lead to 22-12 on a bucket by Seth Thomas.

A layup by Fulks with 8:55 remaining in the first half was part of a 16-0 run for the Ragin’ Cajuns which also included a dunk and 3-pointer by Williams as Louisiana pushed its lead to 47-17.

The 106 points scored by Louisiana was its first 100-point game since a 108-101 win over Coastal Carolina in the 2019-20 regular-season finale. The Ragin’ Cajuns finished 34-for-62 (55 percent) from the floor and 26-for-30 from the free throw line in earning their fourth straight win over the Gents.

Braeden Board led Centenary after scoring 17 of his 19 points in the second half. Seth Thomas added nine points for the Gents, who entered the game with a 21-20 lead in the all-time series which dates back to the 1915-16 season.

Louisiana returns to action beginning on Friday when it faces Harvard in the opening round of the Asheville Championship in Asheville, N.C. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. CT and will be streamed live on ESPN+.