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No. 21 Tennessee seeks to end two-game slide vs. UL Lafayette

Nov 27, 2006 - 3:53 PM No. 21 Tennessee (4-2) at UL Lafayette (1-3) 8:05 pm EST

LAFAYETTE, Louisiana (Ticker) -- Tennessee is thankful to be able to put a disappointing Thanksgiving holiday weekend in New York City in the past.

The 21st-ranked Volunteers look for more offensive consistency to end their two-game losing streak Monday when they make their first-ever visit to Louisiana-Lafayette.

After opening with four victories, Tennessee shot just 25 percent (13-of-52) from the floor, including only 3-of-29 in the second half of Wednesday's 56-44 loss to Butler in the semifinals of the NIT Season Tip-Off.

Two nights later, the Volunteers made 15-of-31 shots from the arc but finished at 38 percent (28-of-73) overall in Friday's 101-87 loss to North Carolina.

JaJuan Smith and Chris Lofton scored 18 points apiece and Wayne Chism added 12 for Tennessee, which was outrebounded, 54-30, by the Tar Heels.

Playing the second of a four-game homestand, Louisiana-Lafayette comes off its third straight defeat in Friday's 91-89 overtime loss to Cal-State Fullerton.

David Dees made 12-of-24 shots to score a career-high 37 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Ross Mouton added 27 points for the Ragin' Cajuns, who trailed by 18 points in the first 10 minutes.

Tennessee won five of the previous six encounters against Louisiana-Lafayette, including an 83-76 victory on November 22, 2005. The lone win by the Ragin' Cajuns in the series came in 1985.