University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Florida International*
Cajuns Comeback to Take First Victory at FIU
1/24/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 24, 2005
MIAMI – Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns rebounded from a seven-point deficit at the 10:26 mark to claim a 68-58 victory over Florida International on Monday night in Miami.
The comeback is the second biggest by UL this season. The Cajuns rallied from a 15-point deficit with 12 minutes to play versus UC Davis in the opening game of the Radisson Inn Classic on Nov. 19.
Trailing 51-44, Louisiana (14-4, 4-1) erupted with a 12-5 run to tie the contest at 56-56 with only 5:27 remaining. Tiffany Washington started the scoring and was followed by Onna Charles, Alicia McDaniel, Bernette Tolston and another basket by Washington, before Anna Petrakova converted inside to tie the game.
After Lasma Jekabsone gave FIU (13-5, 3-2) back the lead, Petrakova scored two more baskets to give UL a 60-58 edge with 2:06 remaining.
The Cajuns turned their defensive effort up after Jekabsone's basket, forcing consecutive turnovers leading to Petrakova's scores.
The Cajuns made a defensive stand, and Tolston buried a three pointer in transition to extend UL's lead to 63-58 with 66 seconds left.
FIU could not solve the Cajuns intense defense, missing their final five shots in the last 1:37.
Free throws by Ashley Blanche and Tolston put UL up 66-58 with only thirty seconds remaining. Blanche added a breakaway lay-up with 16 seconds left to set the final margin, as the Cajuns outscored FIU 12-0 over the final three minutes.
Petrakova led the Cajuns with 16 points and eight rebounds. Washington had 15 points, while Tolston and Charles each added nine points. Blanche had seven points and nine assists against only one turnover.
After falling twice to the Golden Panthers in his first season, head coach J. Kelley Hall's Cajuns have defeated FIU in consecutive years. UL had lost their first nine games against FIU prior to last season's victory in Lafayette.
The Golden Panthers led from the 7:13 mark of the first half by dominating the boards, especially the offensive glass. FIU outrebounded the Cajuns 46-32 in the game, including 24-10 on the offensive glass. Louisiana kept it close by stifling FIU's shooters, holding the hosts to 32.8 percent shooting from the floor overall and 21.1 percent (4-19) from three-point range. UL shot 45.5 percent from the floor and 38.5 percent (5-13) from beyond the arc.
The Cajuns were also helped by 15 turnovers from FIU. UL committed a season-low eight turnovers on the road.
Louisiana started the second half by outscoring FIU 17-11 to cut their deficit to only one point, 44-43, with 12:25 remaining. Melissa Bratton came off the bench to score five points during the rally.
Milena Tomova, who led al players with 23 points and 11 rebounds, quickly scored seven points to increase the Golden Panthers lead to seven, 51-44, with 10:26 on the clock.
FIU would manage only three more baskets the rest of the game.
The Cajuns trailed by seven at the half because of their inability to rebound. FIU dominated on the boards in the first half, holding a 26-12 edge, including a 13-3 edge offensively.
The Cajuns and Golden Panthers traded baskets early, as evident by five lead changes in the first eight minutes.
The sixth lead change gave the Cajuns a 14-12 edge with 8:36 to play, despite FIU leading in rebounds 17-10, including 9-1 on the offensive glass.
FIU took back the lead and used a 9-0 run to up their advantage to 21-14 with 5:18 left in the first half.
Louisiana closed to four points thanks to two three pointers by Washington and a basket by Petrakova. After FIU jumped back ahead by eight, Sherita Anderson scored a pair of buckets to close the gap back to four.
Tomova hit a three pointer to finish the half with FIU up 33-26.
-Ragin' Cajuns-
