University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Prairie View A&M
Cajuns Win Fifth Straight, Top Prairie View A&M
12/1/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Thursday, Dec. 1, 2005
PRAIRIE VIEW, TEXAS ? Terrific second half defense propelled Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns to a 60-42 victory at Prairie View A&M on Thursday evening.
The Cajuns started the second half on a 7-2 run to expand their lead to 43-30 only four minutes into the second stanza.
The Cajuns lead continued to grow as their defense tightened. UL didn't allow PVAM to score more than three unanswered points for the entire second half. The Cajuns outrebounded the Lady Panthers 56-36 in the game.
Fierce defense and rebounding by UL held PVAM to only 14 points in the second half. For the game, the Cajuns recorded 15 steals and outscored PVAM 24-10 in points off turnovers.
The Lady Panthers could not defend the Cajuns quickness on the offensive end. The hosts only way to stop the Cajuns was to foul. PVAM committed 15 fouls in the second half.
Yolanda Jones scored 10 points in each half and led all players with 20 points and 15 rebounds. Sonora Edwards added 12 points and 14 rebounds, while Alicia McDaniel posted five points, eight rebounds, six assists and six steals in 40 minutes.
Both teams shot well in a competitive first half, but 12 turnovers apiece disrupted the game's pace. UL shot just 2-for-11 from three-point range, but converted 14-of-27 baskets inside the arc and dominated the boards, 27-12, in the opening 20 minutes.
The Cajuns offense started with three consecutive turnovers by Ashley Blanche. As a result, PVAM took a quick 4-0 lead.
Down 6-2, an 8-3 run helped UL take their first lead.
Onna Charles hit a pair of free throws, then converted a fast-break lay-up on a steal and assist from Alicia McDaniel. Jones scored on a short jumper, before Charles converted her second fast break lay-up courtesy of McDaniel's defense.
The hosts came back with a 10-2 spurt thanks to more Cajuns turnovers. Through nine minutes, UL had seven turnovers, most of which were unforced. PVAM led 20-12 with 10:51 to play in the first half.
A 9-0 burst from Louisiana put the Cajuns back in front. Baskets from Jones and McDaniel, a three-pointer by Edwards and a Blanche lay-up, on another steal by McDaniel, gave UL a 21-20 edge.
After the Lady Panthers tied the game at 23-23, the Cajuns ended the final five minutes of the opening half on a 13-5 clip to take a 36-28 lead at the break. Three baskets from Edwards and a three-pointer by McDaniel keyed the offensive charge.
UL had eight steals in the first half, led by four from McDaniel.
The Cajuns return to action on Saturday, with a 7pm tip-off at Sam Houston State.
-Ragin' Cajuns-
