LAFAYETTE – The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns men’s basketball team released its 2018-19 home schedule on Tuesday, highlighted by its annual non-conference matchup against in-state foe Louisiana Tech, along with the first visit to the Cajundome in three decades by in-state foe Southern University.
Louisiana, which finished 27-7 overall and 16-2 in SBC play last season, will also welcome Southwestern Athletic Conference member Prairie View A&M along with in-state opponent Loyola (N.O.) and the University of the Virgin Islands.
2018-19 Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Men’s Basketball Home Schedule
The season-opening game against UVI, scheduled for Nov. 6, will be the first-ever between the schools. UVI, an NAIA school and member of the Liga Atletica Interuniversitaria (LAI), was led in the late 1990s by then Buccaneer Athletic Director and former Ragin’ Cajuns head coach Jim Hatfield.
After spending the remainder of the month of November on the road, the Ragin’ Cajuns will play four of six scheduled games at the Cajundome, beginning on Dec. 1 against Southern. The game against the Jaguars will be the ninth meeting all-time between the schools and first since a 91-65 Ragin’ Cajuns victory on Dec. 18, 1996.
Louisiana will take a break during finals week as it will host Loyola on Dec. 5. The Ragin’ Cajuns will host the Wolf Pack in a regular-season contest for the fourth-straight season, with Louisiana claiming a 98-56 win in last year’s meeting on Dec. 6, 2017.
The Ragin’ Cajuns will then welcome Prairie View to the Cajundome on Dec. 11. The meeting will be fourth overall between the schools and the first in the Cajundome since a 114-79 victory on Jan. 2, 1991.
Louisiana wraps up its home non-conference slate on Dec. 15 with its annual battle against Louisiana Tech. The matchup will be the 130th overall contest between the in-state foes with Louisiana claiming victories in four of the last five meetings since the series was resumed.
The Ragin’ Cajuns claimed a 75-71 victory in last season’s game in Ruston and held off the Bulldogs, 91-83, in the previous meeting in the Cajundome on Dec. 10, 2016.
Louisiana opens league play on Jan. 3 against Arkansas State at the Cajundome before facing Little Rock on Jan. 5.
The Ragin’ Cajuns will face SBC rivals South Alabama (Jan. 24) and Troy (Jan. 26) for the only time during the regular-season at the Cajundome while also hosting Georgia Southern (Feb. 7), Georgia State (Feb. 9), ULM (Feb. 16), Coastal Carolina (Feb. 28) and Appalachian State (March 3) at the Cajundome.
The remainder of Louisiana’s non-conference schedule and TV schedule will be released at a later date.
