What Bob Marlin, Louisiana basketball players said about the future after title game loss

Within minutes after losing in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament championship game, members of the Louisiana basketball program were already talking about next season.

UL, the tournament's No. 8 seed, lost 80-71 to No. 3 seed Georgia State on Monday in Pensacola, Florida.

"I'm real proud. I'm glad to be a part of the family that we've built, and I'm looking forward to the future that we're going to build," guard Greg Williams Jr. said after scoring 15 points. "I think that it's a bad, but good, feeling, because I can't wait until we start next year."

"I was just really excited (about) how well we fought and how positive we (were) mentally and physically. I'm just excited to get ready to work next year," guard Jalen Dalcourt, who sored 10 points, added. "The guys, we just took this one on the chin. And will all just were talking about working next season to get back to this. We don't like this feeling at all."

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS:Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns vs. Georgia State basketball

Emotions really were mixed for the Cajuns (16-15), who won six of their last seven games before the championship game including three straight to open the conference tournament. One of the three was a 79-73 quarterfinal win over No. 1 seed Texas State.

"I think we know what we need to do to be successful," Dalcourt said. "This little run definitely helped us see the light, so we're gonna definitely work hard this summer and this offseason. So, we're gonna get back to it."

Dalcourt, who played previously at San Jose State, and Williams, who spent the last three seasons at St. John's, were among three newcomers who arrived from other programs last season.

So did power forward Jordan Brown, who transferred from Arizona after starting his college career at Nevada.

Brown, who scored 24 points Monday and 31 against Texas State, finished the season as UL's top scorer. He was a bright spot in a season full of ups and downs for the Cajuns.

UL coach Bob Marlin dealt with the death of his mother, Lila Marlin on Sunday. Marlin left Pensacola to be with her in Tupelo, Mississippi, following the win over Texas State, then returned to Pensacola in time for Sunday's semifinal win over Troy. 

Second-leading scorer Kobe Julien, who already has had two surgeries on one knee and one on the other, sustained a season-ending injury in the  final regular-season game.

The Cajuns also played without guard Brayan Au, who has dealt with injuries since joining the program in 2020 as a juco transfer.

Brown, Williams, Dalcourt, Julien and Au are among those eligible to return in 2022-23, as is starting center Theo Akwuba. UL's only senior this season was power forward Dou Gueye, a rotation regular.

All that left Marlin, who has spent 12 seasons at UL, with a sense of hope as well.

He has one season remaining on his current contract, which took effect in April 2018 and was extended by one year in 2021. The contract paid him $642,476 in base salary for the 2021-22 season, and is scheduled to pay $672,476 next season.

"We're very excited," Marlin said when asked about the future, "and we expect to be back next year fighting for a championship."