University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
#SOUTH ALABAMA*
Cajuns Finally Solve Jaguars, Extend Home Winning Streak to 13 with 63-56 Victory over USA
2/12/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 12, 2005
LAFAYETTE – It took 45 minutes, but Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns women's basketball team snapped a nine-game losing streak against the South Alabama Jaguars and extended its home winning streak to 13 games with a 63-56 overtime victory here Saturday at the Cajundome.
The conference victory equals last season total for Louisiana-Lafayette (17-7, 7-4 Sun Belt). Last season, the Cajuns finished 7-8 in the Sun Belt. The win also puts head coach J. Kelley Hall (38-41) alone in third place all-time in career victories at UL Lafayette.
The loss drops South Alabama to 11-12 overall and 5-6 in the Sun Belt.
In the four previous meetings between UL Lafayette and South Alabama, the outcome had been decided by a combined 11 points - all USA victories. In overtime, the Cajuns didn't seem to flinch as UL Lafayette outscored the Jaguars 11-4 in the extra period, giving the home team their 11th home victory of the season and Hall's first career victory over USA.
Seven of the Cajuns' 11 points in overtime came at the free throw line. Anna Petrakova led all scorers with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Ashley Blanche added 16, while Melissa Bratton chipped in 15 points.
The second half began quite differently from the first. In the first, the Jaguars jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead before the Cajuns went on a 19-4 run in 8:55.
In the second half, the Cajuns began with a 9-3 run in 3:46 to extend their lead to 35-26. UL Lafayette would increase its lead by as many as 12, 42-30, with 14:01 remaining before USA made its second-half rally.
Behind several missed Cajuns opportunities, the Jaguars were able to go on a 14-5 run to cut the Cajuns' lead to 45-44 with 7:28 left to play.
Down the stretch, free throws made the difference as South Alabama was 14-of-23 from the free throw line in the second half, while UL Lafayette shot an abysmal 10-of-24 from the charity stripe.
Bratton's jumper at 6:17 in the second half gave the Cajuns a 49-44 lead and it would be the largest the Cajuns would have until the final result. The Cajuns were 3-of-10 from the free throw line in the final 6:17 of regulation.
With the lead 51-49 with eight seconds left, Petrakova went to the line for two free throws. She missed the first, but made the second, giving the Cajuns a 52-49 lead.
South Alabama's Valencia Boswell banked in a three pointer from the right side to send the game into overtime, tying the contest at 52-52 and sending the game to overtime.
In overtime, the Cajuns went 7-of-8 from the free throw line to secure the 63-56 victory.
The first half played out to expectation with the Cajuns taking a 26-23 lead at the half. Blanche led all scorers with eight points at intermission. Sherita Anderson added seven points and Bratton six. Petrakova was held to just three points in the first half, but grabbed a team-high five rebounds.
JoAnna Williams led the Jaguars with seven points.
-Ragin' Cajuns-
