University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Middle Tennessee*
Cajuns Offense Struggles in Loss
1/27/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 27, 2005
MURFREESBORO, TENN.– Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns have used some second half heroics to pull themselves out of holes this season, but Thursday's hole was too deep to escape.
The Cajuns dropped a pivotal Sun Belt Conference game at Middle Tennessee by a final score of 53-45.
Nineteen first half turnovers and 23 percent shooting gave the Cajuns just 16 points at the end of 20 minutes.
As poorly as Louisiana (14-5, 4-2) had played, they found themselves down only six points with 12 minutes still to play.
Anna Petrakova made a pair of free throws, her first attempts from the stripe in the contest, at the 10:11 mark to cut the Cajuns deficit to four, 39-35.
Onna Charles made two baskets after a three-pointer from Patrice Holmes to trim the Lady Raiders lead to three, 42-39, with 8:18 left.
MTSU (13-5, 5-0) needed the next two minutes to outscore the Cajuns 8-2 and build their lead up to nine points, 50-41, at the 5:51 mark.
Baskets by Petrakova and Charles closed UL to 50-45, but the Cajuns had no offense over the final five minutes.
The Cajuns 19 first half turnovers are more than the team has committed in 12 games this season. Despite only six turnovers in the second half, Louisiana's poor shooting (30.4 percent) disabled any attempt at a comeback.
Drawing constant attention the entire game, Petrakova led the Cajuns with 10 points and 12 rebounds. Bernette Tolston finished with nine points, while Charles ended her night with eight points and five boards.
UL shot a dismal 23 percent (6-26) in the first half en route to a 12-point deficit at the break. The Cajuns six field goals was a season-low in a half.
The Cajuns quickly fell in an 11-2 hole just 2:15 into the game. Several turnovers led to easy MTSU baskets.
Louisiana climbed back into the game with a 10-3 run keyed by a pair of three pointers by Tolston, but the hosts countered with six unanswered points to grab a 20-12 lead with 6:39 to play in the first half.
MTSU outscored the Cajuns 8-4 to end the half up 28-16.
-Ragin' Cajuns-
