Louisiana-Lafayette 72, New Orleans 70

2/20/2008 10:37 PM

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -Louisiana-Lafayette freshman Chris Gradnigo scored 25 points - 18 in the first half - to help the Ragin' Cajuns hang on for a 72-70 Sun Belt Conference win at New Orleans on Wednesday.

Louisiana-Lafayette (13-13, 9-6) had a 16-point lead with 5:34 remaining but missed six of nine free throw attempts in the final two minutes of the game. The loss dropped New Orleans (17-10, 7-8) into third place - two games behind the first place Cajuns.

Elijah Millsap made a pair of free throws to stop New Orleans' 13-0 run and end a Cajuns' scoreless streak that spanned 3:20. The free throws gave the Cajuns a five-point lead with 2:14 remaining.

Two minutes later, Millsap's offensive rebound put him at the line, where he would make both shots, giving the Cajuns a 72-68 edge with 13.8 seconds remaining. New Orleans' Bo McCalebb scored five seconds later to make it a two-point game with 7.8 seconds left.

After the Cajuns came up empty on two free throws, New Orleans' Kechan Myers drove the lane but his game-tying layup bounced off the rim at the buzzer.

Millsap finished the game with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

McCalebb paced New Orleans to finish with 18 points - all in the second half and five below his season average - and a team-high seven rebounds. Kyndall Dykes added 14 points for the Privateers.

The Cajuns, who never trailed, held New Orleans to 22 percent shooting in the first half and led 41-25 at halftime. The Privateers started the game 2-for-24 from the field.