University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Sam Houston State
Defense Shines as Cajuns Defeat Sam Houston State, 62-40
12/3/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Saturday, Dec. 3, 2005
HUNTSVILLE, Texas-Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns continued to win basketball games with their defense, topping Sam Houston State on Saturday 62-40. The win was the Cajuns sixth straight, the longest winning streak under head coach J. Kelley Hall, and the longest streak since the 1987-88 team won nine in a row.
The Cajuns built a 16-point lead at halftime with their smothering defense.
UL held SHS to six field goals in the first half, including a 0-for-11 performance from three-point range, en route to a 30-14 lead after 20 minutes. SHS had just two points for the first 11:17 of the game.
The Bearkats were able to hang with the Cajuns to start the second half, thanks to a brief defensive lapse by UL.
A 7-0 run by the Cajuns took their 40-26 lead, to 47-26 with 11 minutes left in the game. Baskets by Yolanda Jones, Ashley Blanche and a triple by Whitney Dunlap led the charge.
Another 7-0 run at the 6:22 mark sealed the win. Two baskets from Jones, an Alicia McDaniel jumper and a free throw by Blanche pushed the Cajuns lead to 59-35 with 3:46 left in the contest.
UL held SHS to 30.9 percent shooting from the floor, while the Cajuns shot 41.1 percent for the game, including 48 percent in the second half.
The Cajuns outrebounded the Bearkats 47-32.
Sonora Edwards led the Cajuns with 15 points and 10 rebounds ? her third straight game with a double-double. Blanche added 10 points, nine assists and six rebounds. McDaniel registered 10 points, eight rebounds, five steals and four assists.
The Cajuns defense helped the offense build a 7-0 lead through the first five minutes. Onna Charles opened the game with a three-pointer, before a pair of steals by McDaniel led to a pair of baskets by Blanche.
An offensive board and put back by Sherita Anderson and a free throw by Jones made it 10-0 Cajuns.
SHS missed their first eight shots, until an Adah Wells basket cut the Cajuns lead to 10-2 at the 11:32 mark.
Edwards answered for the Cajuns and McDaniel added a triple to give UL a 15-2 lead with 8:58 to play in opening half.
Another Anderson bucket preceded two three pointers from Edwards to put the Cajuns up 23-4 with just 6:11 remaining in the half.
The Cajuns were outscored 10-7 the rest of the half, mostly due to difficulties from the charity stripe. UL was 3-of-10 from the line in the opening stanza, including 2-of-6 in the final six minutes.
UL returns home for finals and next faces Louisiana State-Shreveport on Monday, Dec. 12 at 7pm at Earl K. Long Gym.
-Ragin' Cajuns-
