Chants season ends against Louisiana

PENSACOLA, FL (Coastal Carolina Athletics) - Freshman Jacob Meyer led Coastal Carolina with 22 points, but Louisiana was able to defeat the Chants 80-66 Thursday afternoon at the Pensacola Bay Center in Pensacola, Fla.

The Chants’ second-round loss in the 2024 Hercules Tires Sun Belt Conference Men’s Basketball Championship ended its season with a 9-22 overall season. Kevin Easley completed his Chanticleer career with his third double-double, coming off the bench to score 14 points and grabbing a game-high 11 rebounds. Kylan Blackmon also reached double-digits with 17 points.

The Chanticleers knew they were in an uphill battle as All-Sun Belt center and double-double machine John Ojiako was unable to go due to an injury he suffered during the second half of CCU’s opening-round victory over ULM. The Chants did not back down from the challenge as they out-rebounded the taller Ragin’ Cajuns 40-33.

CCU was unable to match its over 50 percent shooting from the field and 62.5 percent shooting from beyond the three-point line in its first-round win. CCU only managed to shoot 40.0 percent (24-60) from the field and an even worse 15.0 percent (3-20) on its three-point attempts. CCU did hit 78.9 percent (15-19) of its free throws.

Kobe Julien led a trio of Ragin’ Cajuns in scoring with a game-high 25 points as Louisiana shot 48.4 percent (31-64) from the field and bagged nine three-point field goals in 29 attempts (31.0 percent). Hosana Kitenge scored 13 points and Kentrell Garnett came off the bench to add 11 points for Louisiana, who now moves into the third round to face No. 4 Arkansas State.