University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
* SOUTH ALABAMA
USA Edges Cajuns 57-54
1/15/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
LAFAYETTE- Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns made a valiant second half comeback, but fell a little short, dropping a 57-54 decision to South Alabama on Thursday at the Cajundome.
The Jaguars opened the second half with an eight-point lead and extended it to 12 four minutes into the half. A three-pointer by Anna Petrakova was answered by triples from Genevieve Delk and Qiana Mitchell to up the USA lead to 15.
The Cajuns came back with a 7-0 run to trim their deficit to eight points, but Donyel Wheeler drained a three on the next possession to push the USA lead back to double-digits.
UL Lafayette ran again, using an 8-2 spurt to close within 46-41 with 8:35 on the clock. All six players to play for the Cajuns over the 15-5 run scored at least one basket.
USA held their five-point lead, 53-48, after one free throw by Ashley Blanche at the 4:00 mark. Blanche cut the Jaguars lead down to 53-50 with a basket with 2:31 remaining.
Following one free throw from Sara Carter, Petrakova converted with a strong move to the basket, closing the deficit to just two points, 54-52, with 1:18 showing on the clock.
After Wheeler and Tiffany Washington traded two free throws apiece, Sarah Carter made the front end of a one-and-one, but missed the second with 22.7 seconds remaining. The Cajuns had several shots in the closing seconds but couldn't get anything to fall.
Petrakova led all players with 23 points. She missed her fifth straight double-double by two rebounds. Blanche was the only other Cajun in double figures, finishing with 10 points. Washington added nine points and 12 boards.
Two three-pointers by USA started an 8-0 run that took a 4-2 lead away from the Cajuns. After a basket from Petrakova, South Alabama came back with five more unanswered points to take a 15-6 lead with 10:40 left in the half.
The Cajuns cut the visitors lead to 17-15 after a pair of free throws from Petrakova and a three-pointer by Blanche at the 5:52 mark.
From there, the Cajuns would net only a pair of free throws over the next five minutes to fall into a 25-17 hole. The two teams traded buckets in the final minute to give South Alabama a 27-19 lead at the break.
-Ragin' Cajuns-
