University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Providence
Late Rally Lifts Friars Over Cajuns, 67-58
1/15/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2003
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Providence
College used a calculated methodical approach in
defeating Louisiana-Lafayette 67-58 at the Dunkin'
Donuts Center on Wednesday night.
UL Lafayette turned the ball over 18 times, to just
eight by the Friars who played solid defense and
protected the basketball the entire game.
The Friars improve to 9-5, while Louisiana-Lafayette
falls to 10-6.
Anthony Johnson's tip-in pulled the Cajuns to within two
at 56-54 with
6:14
remaining.
Providence
then took the game by holding the Cajuns scoreless for
the next
5:08.
The Friars scored seven points over that span to lead
63-56 with just over one minute remaining.
The Cajuns played without the services of leading scorer
Brad Boyd, who missed his second straight game due to
injury.
Ryan Gomes led all players with 21 points and 10
rebounds.
Providence also received 13 points from Tuukka Kotti and
12 points from Maris Laksa.
The Cajuns were led by 14 points from Johnson. Michael Southall and Laurie Bridges each scored 12 points, while
Kenneth Lawrence added 10 points to round out four
Cajuns in double figures.
Gomes and Kotti each scored five points and Sheiku Kabba
drained a three-pointer in the first five minutes of the
second half as Providence outscored the Cajuns 13-2 to
take a 46-36 lead.
The Cajuns whittled the lead down to a basket, 46-43,
with a 7-0 run, and then spurted to within one at 50-49.
Providence would outscore UL Lafayette 17-9 the rest of
the way to earn the victory after trailing at the half.
A back-and-forth first half ended with the Cajuns
holding a 34-33 lead. UL Lafayette led for most of the
first half, holding as large as a seven-point edge
midway through the first frame. Neither team was able to
pull ahead, though, as the lead changed six times.
PCU led by four points with 1:31 left in the half, but
the Cajuns outscored the Friars 5-0 over the next 53
seconds to end the half up by a point.
Providence's
control of the ball helped the Friars keep the score
close in the first half. UL Lafayette committed 10
turnovers to only four by
Providence.
Both teams played zone defense for most of the half,
limiting inside chances on both ends of the court. UL
Lafayette shot 54.2 percent in the first half, compared
to 40 percent by
Providence.
The game's first 20 minutes saw 31 three-point shots.
The Friars attempted 18 three-pointers, connecting on
six, while the Cajuns hit 5-of-13 from beyond the arc.
The second half saw the Friars improve their field goal
percentage to 41.9 percent in the half, while the Cajuns
fell to just 33.3 percent.
The Cajuns return to Sun Belt play when they host
Florida International on Saturday at the Cajundome.
Tip-off is slated for 7:05 p.m.
-Ragin' Cajuns-
