University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
* Denver
Denver Hands Cajuns Lopsided Loss, Remain Winless on SBC Road
2/7/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
DENVER-Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns had one of their worst outings of the season, and worst in Sun Belt play, falling to Denver 73-49 on Saturday afternoon in the Mile High City.
Louisiana-Lafayette committed 16 first half turnovers and allowed 44 points in the opening 20 minutes en route to a 44-27 halftime deficit.
Entering Saturday, the Cajuns averaged 18 miscues a game and allowed an average of only 28 points per half. In fact, Denver's 44 points are the most surrendered in a half by the Cajuns this season. The Cajuns held the Pioneers to 57 points when the two teams met in Lafayette on Jan. 10.
DU shot 53 percent in the first half, including a 5-of-7 performance from beyond the arc.
The Pioneers showed no signs of letting-up in the opening minutes of the second half as they hit two of their first four triples and outscored the Cajuns 10-4 to take a 54-31 lead.
UL Lafayette controlled the ball no better in the second half. The Cajuns committed six turnovers in the first five minutes to mount their team total to 22 after only 25 minutes of play. Entering Saturday's game, the most turnovers by the Cajuns this season was 23.
Anna Petrakova led the Cajuns with 18 points, while Alexandra Kotta added 15 points off of the bench. Tiffany Washington contributed 12 points and a team-high 12 rebounds.
The Cajuns never had it from the beginning, as Denver opened the game on a 13-2 run.
Two three-pointers from Kotta cut the Cajuns deficit to 15-8 at the 12:29 mark of the first half. Two lay-ups by Washington and a jumper from Petrakova ended the Cajuns 12-2 run and brought the visitors within one-point.
With Petrakova on the bench, Denver went on a 15-3 run behind eight points from Tyesha Lowery and five points from Tasha Jones.
Petrakova came back into the game and hit two straight shots, pulling the Cajuns to within 34-23 with 3:19 left in the first stanza.
DU ended the half with a 10-4 run to take a 17-point lead at the break.
-Ragin' Cajuns-
