Saturday, December 22nd, 10:00 p.m. (et)

FACTS & STATS: Site: Stan Sheriff Center (10,300) -- Honolulu, Hawaii. Television: None. Home Record: ETSU 3-0, ULL 1-2. Away Record: ETSU 1-5, ULL 2-4. Neutral Record: ETSU 1-1, ULL 0-1. Conference Record: ETSU 0-0, ULL 1-0. Series Record: First-ever meeting.

GAME NOTES: The East Tennessee State Buccaneers and the UL-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns collide at the Stan Sheriff Center tonight, with the winner placing third in the 44th Annual Rainbow Classic. The Bucs opened this tournament with a stunning win over Georgia, 76-58, on Thursday, but they were unable to build off the victory, dropping an 89-65 decision to Saint Mary's-CA in the semifinals on Friday. With losses in three of their last four outings, ETSU is now just 5-6 overall on the season. The Bucs have made just one previous appearance in this tournament and that came in 2003, when they finished 1-2. As for ULL, it stopped Hawaii, 61-59, in the opening round of this event before dropping a 74-68 decision to Ohio University in the semifinals on Friday. The loss snapped the team's brief two-game win streak and dropped it to just 3-7 overall. Much like ETSU, the Cajuns have appeared in this event once before, going 0-3 in 1998. Tonight's contest marks the first-ever meeting between ETSU and ULL on the hardwood.

The Bucs shot a lackluster 37.5 percent from the floor and that includes a poor 4-of-16 effort from long range, as they were downed by SMC last night. The team also lost the battle on the boards, 35-29, and it even committing 16 turnovers. Kevin Tiggs and Courtney Pigram each scored 16 points to pace ETSU in the loss. For the season, Pigram is the squad's top scorer at 16.9 ppg and he is also handing out a team-high 3.6 apg. Tiggs ranks second on the squad in scoring (14.8 ppg) and rebounding (5.1 rpg), and Travis Strong chips in with 10.1 ppg on 45.5 percent shooting from three-point range. As a team, the Bucs are averaging a healthy 78.0 ppg, although they are giving up a slightly higher 79.1 ppg.

The Cajuns were outscored at the foul line, 17-11, and outrebounded 29-24, as they suffered a six-point loss to Ohio on Friday. The team made good on 46.9 percent of its field goal tries, but it allowed Ohio to shoot an even better 52.1 percent from the floor. Chris Gradnigo connected on 5-of-9 shots from beyond the arc and he posted 22 points to lead ULL in defeat. Elijah Millsap was held to just six points and three rebounds, but despite that performance, he still leads the team in scoring (11.3 ppg) and rebounding (7.0 rpg) for the season. Gradnigo is second in line with 10.2 ppg and he is trailed by David Dees, who chips in with 10.1 ppg. As a whole, the Cajuns are producing just 64.0 ppg this season due to inconsistent shooting, as they are hitting on just 37.7 percent of their attempts from the floor.

ETSU is the more explosive team here and should be able to come out on top against a ULL club that has struggled offensively this season.

Predicted Outcome

East Tennessee State 74, UL-Lafayette 69