University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Denver*
Cajuns Unable to Overcome First Half Deficit, Fall 60-56 at Denver
2/3/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 3, 2005
DENVER– Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns women's basketball team was unable to overcome a nine-point halftime deficit, falling 60-56 here Thursday night at Magness Arena. Louisiana-Lafayette falls to 14-7 overall and 4-4 in the Sun Belt, while Denver improves to 4-16 overall and 2-6 in the Sun Belt.
UL Lafayette was without the services of starting point guard Ashley Blanche, who sat out Thursday night's game with a sore knee. The injury snapped Blanche's 21-game consecutive starts streak, dating back to the Cajuns' Sun Belt Conference tournament game last season.
Anna Petrakova and Melissa Bratton each had 16 points for the Cajuns, while Denver's Jennifer Whetten led all scorers with 18 points.
The Cajuns ended the first half hot and began the second half on a tear with a 17-5 run in 6:17. Bernette Tolston and Bratton each hit a three pointer to cut DU's lead to 35-32 in the first minute of the second half. After a DU basket, Tolston and Bratton each added a pair of free throws and freshman guard Tobie Buford hit a three pointer to give the Cajuns their first lead since the 13:17 mark of the first half, 39-37.
Denver's Cassondra Bratton hit a three pointer to regain the Pioneers' lead, 40-39. Bratton was not finished, adding a running jumper in the lane to give the lead back to the Cajuns, 41-40 with 15:12 remaining. Bratton added her fourth basket of the half, extending the Cajuns' lead to 43-40.
DU then went on a quick 6-2 run that lasted nearly three minutes. Alexandra Kotta responded with back-to-back baskets to give the lead back to the Cajuns, 49-46.
Down the stretch, the Cajuns were able to pull within one three times, but were not able to take the lead when it mattered most.
In the first eight minutes of the first half, the Cajuns didn't have an answer for Denver freshman Jennifer Whetten, while the Pioneers didn't seem to have an answer for Petrakova. Whetten amounted for nine of DU's first 13 points, hitting two three pointers and adding three free throws. Petrakova, however, scored all 11 of the Cajuns' points.
The Cajuns led 11-8 following a Petrakova three pointer with 13:17 left in the first. It would the last Cajuns' lead of the first half. Denver scored the next five points to take a 13-11 lead heading into the second media timeout.
It took nine minutes before another Cajuns player other than Petrakova to score a bucket. Bratton knifed through the Denver defense for a lay-up at the 11:00 mark. Sherita Anderson followed with a fading jumper from the low post on the Cajuns' next trip down the court. Then, Bratton added another lay-up with 9:35 left to get the Cajuns to within one, 18-17.
The Pioneers added four points before Petrakova hit her second three pointer from the top of the circle to get the Cajuns back to within two, 22-20.
For the next six minutes, the Pioneers outscored the Ragin' Cajuns 11-2 before Kotta scored the last four points of the first half, cutting DU's halftime lead to 35-26.
Petrakova led all scorers with 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting in the first half. Whetten added 11 points for the Pioneers.
Louisiana-Lafayette will return to action Saturday when it hosts North Texas in a 7 p.m. Sun Belt Conference match at Earl K. Long Gym.
-Ragin' Cajuns-
