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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -- Louisiana-Lafayette coach Jessie
Evans wanted Blake Harmon to shoot. Harmon planned to shoot and
teammate Lonnie Thomas thought he had.
|  | | The Ragin' Cajuns hoop it up after clinching the Sun Belt title. |
South Alabama's defense changed everything and it was Thomas who
wound up banking home a short jumper with 3.5 seconds to play that
earned Lafayette a trip to the NCAA Tournament with a 51-50 victory
over South Alabama in the finals of the Sun Belt Conference
tournament on Tuesday night.
South Alabama's Ericson Beck missed the front end of a bonus
with 12.6 seconds to play and the Jaguars in front 50-49. With
Evans screaming at Harmon to "take it all the way," Harmon bolted
for the basket, hung in the air, and dumped a pass to Thomas.
"My goal was to take the last shot," Harmon said. "I went up
for the shot. Two people jumped in front of me. When I saw Lonnie
open, I gave it to him."
"I thought it was a shot," Thomas said. "I was about to turn
around and box out and it started coming down and I just jumped up
and grabbed it and hoisted it up there and it went in."
Ravonte Dantzler didn't come close on the Jaguars' final shot.
His miss touched off a celebration that included a half-dozen
shirtless Lafayette players hanging on the rim where Thomas made
his winning shot. Players, cheerleaders and others tossed dozens of
small white basketball into the stands.
South Alabama (20-10) swept Lafayette (25-8) during the regular
season, but the Ragin' Cajuns scored the last five points in the
tournament final.
"We won the national championship when I was at Arizona in 1997
and I can honestly say this feels better," Evans said. "It's
taking my own team."
Lafayette's last trip to the NCAA was in 1994 when the Cajuns
lost in the first round to Marquette. The Cajuns are headed for the
tournament in Evans' third year. He was an assistant at Texas for
two years in the 1980s when South Alabama coach Bob Weltlich was
the head coach.
Dantzler's free throw broke the 10th tie of the game and put the
Jaguars in front 44-43. Dantzler's 16-footer made it 46-45 and Beck
added two free throws for 48-45 with 3:00 to play.
Dusty Dubbs was good from 12 feet for 50-46 with 1:23 left.
Brett Smith made a free throw and missed one and then the Jaguars
committed a shot clock violation. Harmon's driving shot cut the
lead to one with 14.9 left and Evans immediately called timeout.
The Cajuns fouled Beck as soon as he caught the inbounds pass.
Thomas finished with 10 points and teammate Reggie DeGray scored
11.
South Alabama's Virgil Stanescu scored 14 points and pulled down
15 rebounds.
It was 24-24 at the half. Each team had 10 field goals, but the
Jaguars had six more shots primarily because of eight offensive
rebounds.
Harmon made a 3, South Alabama wasted several chances and Smith
banked home a running hook for 31-26. Dubbs made a big 3 and Josh
Hotz, off the bench, was good from long range for a 32-32 tie.
Hotz's third 3 gave South Alabama a 37-36 lead, the Jaguars'
first lead in more than 10 minutes.
The first of Orlando Butler's two free throws tied it at 37 -- the eighth tie of the game -- and his second put Lafayette back in
front.
Three years ago, Weltlich's first South Alabama team beat Evans'
first Lafayette team in the finals of the Sun Belt tournament.
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ALSO SEE
Mens College Basketball Scoreboard
Louisiana Lafayette Clubhouse
South Alabama Clubhouse
NCAA Tournament automatic bids
Championship Week
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Lonnie Thomas scores the game-winner.
avi: 426 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Reggie DeGray finishes with the jam.
avi: 537 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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