University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
South Alabama*
Cajuns Top South Alabama
1/12/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Thursday, January 12, 2006
MOBILE, Ala. - Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns pulled off two second half comebacks to break the Mitchell Center curse, winning 60-56 at South Alabama on Thursday.
Louisiana, 12-3 (2-1), had never won in the Mitchell Center, losing their last three at South Alabama, 7-7 (1-1), when leading in the second half.
Yolanda Jones broke a 56-56 tie with a pair of free throws with 16.7 seconds remaining and Sherita Anderson sealed the victory with a pair from the stripe with 8.7 seconds remaining.
Jones entered the game a 60 percent free throw shooter, while Anderson was shooting 44 percent from the line this season.
Down six at the break, Jones led the Cajuns to an early second half blast that saw UL begin the second stanza on a 20-2 run.
Louisiana needed only 1:37 at the start of the second half to tie the score. Three straight baskets in the paint by Jones and an offensive rebound and put-back by Sonora Edwards pulled the teams even with 18:23 to play.
Jones fourth basket preceded a free throw that put UL in front by three. Onna Charles got into the mix with a jumper before Jones hit a triple to push the Cajuns lead to eight, 36-28, at the 16:07 mark.
Another Jones free throw and a three-pointer by Alicia McDaniel capped the run and gave Louisiana a 40-28 lead at the 15:08 mark.
From there, it was all South Alabama for the next seven minutes. Shots rimming out, foul calls five against-to-one and a home crowd urging them on led to a 19-7 run by USA tying the game at 47-47 with 7:36 showing on the clock.
Jones then gave UL a three-point lead on a three-point play, but picked-up her fourth foul on the ensuing defensive possession and was forced to the bench.
Without Jones, the Cajuns were unable to hit a basket from the floor over the next two minutes, but did get three free throws. The good news, though, was that the Cajuns held the Jaguars without a bucket over the same span, also allowing three free throws.
Jones re-entered, but JoAnna Williams drained a three-pointer from the corner to tie the game at 53-53 with 2:47 left.
The Cajuns rebuilt a three-point lead on another Jones free throw and a jumper at the top of the key by Charles, but the Jaguars tied the game with 43 seconds remaining on another Williams triple.
UL's defense stymied the Jaguars the rest of the way, as the Cajuns won the game at the free throw line.
Jones led all players with 30 points and 18 rebounds. Charles was the only other Cajun in double figures, adding 12 points.
Williams had 18 points to lead USA, who was outrebounded by the Cajuns 44-38.
The Cajuns needed seven trips down the court before hitting their first field goal, but Charles' triple gave Louisiana a 4-3 lead at the 16:40 mark.
That lead was short lived as USA's Samantha McDole converted twenty seconds later. A basket by Edwards and three free throws from Charles would tie the game at 9-9.
Two Jaguars baskets were answered by a 6-1 Cajuns run to give UL a 15-14 lead. Two jumpers by Jones and a bucket from Edwards led to the Cajuns first lead in over seven minutes.
USA responded with a 10-1 burst to build an eight point lead, 24-16, at the 5:27 mark.
Louisiana was only able to cut their deficit to six, 26-20, at the break.
-Ragin' Cajuns-
