University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Cajuns Blow Huge Second-Half Lead, Lose 71-68 at North Texas
2/23/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Monday, Feb. 23, 2004
DENTON, Texas-A
second half meltdown by Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns cost
the Cajuns a 71-68 decision to North Texas on Monday
night in Denton, Texas.
The Cajuns led by 17 points with 14:43 remaining in the game. North Texas outscored the Cajuns 36-10 over the next 11:11 to take a nine-point lead with 3:32 remaining in the contest.
UL Lafayette battled back, using a 12-2 run to take a one-point lead with 43 seconds remaining. Brian Hamilton scored eight of the Cajuns first 10
points, then Laurie Bridges drove to the basket and converted to give the
Cajuns a 68-67 lead.
Jerome Rodgers hit two free throws with 15.7 seconds on the clock to give
North Texas back the lead.
The Cajuns turned the ball over on the ensuing possession.
Rogers hit two more from the stripe to put North Texas ahead 71-68 with 3.4 seconds showing on the clock.
Bridges game-tying attempt at the buzzer was no good.
Hamilton led the Cajuns with 13 points. Orien Greene, appearing in his
twelfth game, made his first career start as a Cajun. He fouled out with
3:31 remaining, scoring 11 points and adding seven assists. Five other
Cajuns accounted for the rest of the scoring, notching between eight and 10 points apiece.
The Cajuns opened the second half in the same fashion as the first. Chris
Cameron's three-point play gave the visitors a 40-23 lead.
North Texas came back with a 13-6 run to cut the Cajuns lead to 10 points, 46-36, at the 13:25 mark.
A basket by Leonard Hopkins, his fifth of the second half, cut the Cajuns
lead to single digits for the first time since the 16:35 mark of the first
half.
Brad Boyd's three-pointer gave the Cajuns back a 10-point lead, 50-40. The triple gave Boyd 254 for his career, a new Cajuns all-time record.
Cajuns turnovers led to six straight points by the Mean Green, cutting the
Cajuns lead to 50-46 with 9:13 remaining.
The momentum continued to swing completely toward North Texas. A basket by Shawnson Johnson and a three-point play by Will Smith started a 17-2 Mean Green run. By the time the run ended, the Cajuns faced a 65-56 deficit with 3:32 left to play.
The Cajuns held the Mean Green to just 19 percent shooting and seven field goals in the first half en route to a 14-point lead after 20 minutes.
The Cajuns started the game by outscoring North Texas 18-3.
A three-point play by Cameron was answered by a three-pointer by Rogers. The Cajuns then scored 15 unanswered points beginning with three free throws from Bridges. Dwayne Mitchell followed with two baskets, before a Bridges bucket and consecutive three-pointers from Boyd gave the Cajuns a 15-point lead with 13:37 remaining in the half.
The Cajuns lead grew to 16 points on a pair from the stripe by Greene at the 7:37 mark. The Mean Green, shooting just 15 percent up to that point, used five straight points from Michael Jones to cut the Cajuns lead to 11 points.
Antoine Landry came back with five points of his own to give the Cajuns back their 16-point advantage.
After four points by Calvin Watson, the Cajuns used a 6-0 run to increase
their lead to 37-19 with 1:45 left in the first half.
The Mean Green scored the final four points of the half to cu the Cajuns
edge to 14 points.
The Cajuns led by 17 points with 14:43 remaining in the game. North Texas outscored the Cajuns 36-10 over the next 11:11 to take a nine-point lead with 3:32 remaining in the contest.
UL Lafayette battled back, using a 12-2 run to take a one-point lead with 43 seconds remaining. Brian Hamilton scored eight of the Cajuns first 10
points, then Laurie Bridges drove to the basket and converted to give the
Cajuns a 68-67 lead.
Jerome Rodgers hit two free throws with 15.7 seconds on the clock to give
North Texas back the lead.
The Cajuns turned the ball over on the ensuing possession.
Rogers hit two more from the stripe to put North Texas ahead 71-68 with 3.4 seconds showing on the clock.
Bridges game-tying attempt at the buzzer was no good.
Hamilton led the Cajuns with 13 points. Orien Greene, appearing in his
twelfth game, made his first career start as a Cajun. He fouled out with
3:31 remaining, scoring 11 points and adding seven assists. Five other
Cajuns accounted for the rest of the scoring, notching between eight and 10 points apiece.
The Cajuns opened the second half in the same fashion as the first. Chris
Cameron's three-point play gave the visitors a 40-23 lead.
North Texas came back with a 13-6 run to cut the Cajuns lead to 10 points, 46-36, at the 13:25 mark.
A basket by Leonard Hopkins, his fifth of the second half, cut the Cajuns
lead to single digits for the first time since the 16:35 mark of the first
half.
Brad Boyd's three-pointer gave the Cajuns back a 10-point lead, 50-40. The triple gave Boyd 254 for his career, a new Cajuns all-time record.
Cajuns turnovers led to six straight points by the Mean Green, cutting the
Cajuns lead to 50-46 with 9:13 remaining.
The momentum continued to swing completely toward North Texas. A basket by Shawnson Johnson and a three-point play by Will Smith started a 17-2 Mean Green run. By the time the run ended, the Cajuns faced a 65-56 deficit with 3:32 left to play.
The Cajuns held the Mean Green to just 19 percent shooting and seven field goals in the first half en route to a 14-point lead after 20 minutes.
The Cajuns started the game by outscoring North Texas 18-3.
A three-point play by Cameron was answered by a three-pointer by Rogers. The Cajuns then scored 15 unanswered points beginning with three free throws from Bridges. Dwayne Mitchell followed with two baskets, before a Bridges bucket and consecutive three-pointers from Boyd gave the Cajuns a 15-point lead with 13:37 remaining in the half.
The Cajuns lead grew to 16 points on a pair from the stripe by Greene at the 7:37 mark. The Mean Green, shooting just 15 percent up to that point, used five straight points from Michael Jones to cut the Cajuns lead to 11 points.
Antoine Landry came back with five points of his own to give the Cajuns back their 16-point advantage.
After four points by Calvin Watson, the Cajuns used a 6-0 run to increase
their lead to 37-19 with 1:45 left in the first half.
The Mean Green scored the final four points of the half to cu the Cajuns
edge to 14 points.
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
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