University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
WESTERN KENTUCKY*
Second Half Shooting Slump Costs Cajuns Against Western Kentucky
1/28/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Saturday, January 28, 2006
LAFAYETTE-Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns women's basketball team fell to the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers 74-58 Saturday night at Earl K. Long Gymnasium.
With the win, Western Kentucky improves to 15-5 (5-2 Sun Belt), while the Cajuns drop to 14-6 (4-4 SBC).
Western Kentucky made use of a five and a half minute scoring drought by the Cajuns in the second half to build up a 10 point lead and never looked back.
During the drought, the Ragin' Cajuns made just one free throw, while missing six shots from the floor.
The Cajuns could get no closer than eight points with just over six minutes to play in the contest.
UL and WKU were tied with just under 14-minutes to play in the second half, but were outscored 15-to-5 over the next eight minutes to fall behind 60-50.
After a basket by Sonora Edwards cut the Toppers lead to just eight, Western Kentucky proceeded to finish out the game outscoring the Cajuns 15-to-6 in the final four minutes of the game.
With just 35 seconds to play, head coach J. Kelley Hall was charged with two technical fouls and was ejected from the game after arguing with the officials.
As a result of the technical fouls, Western Kentucky's Crystal Kelly made 5-of-6 free throws with 35 second to play to seal the win for the Hilltoppers.
The Ragin' Cajuns shot just 33-percent from the floor in the second half and were done in by an 0-for-8 performance from behind the arch.
The Cajuns' Yolanda Jones led all scorers, netting 26 points in the losing effort.
The Lady Toppers opened the contest hot, driving down the court for the opening score. A three point basket gave Western Kentucky a 5-0 lead with just over 90 ticks off the clock.
The Cajuns would cut the lead to one thanks to a pair of baskets by Jones and Edwards.
The Hilltoppers then proceeded to go on a 10-to-2 run to take a 15-6 advantage with 14:34 left to play in the half.
Ashley Blanche closed the gap with a three-pointer at the 14-minute mark.
Neither team would score for the next three minutes. Jones broke the drought for the Cajuns driving to the basket for an easy layup, cutting the lead to just 15-11.
The Ragin' Cajuns would cut the lead two just two points as Jones netted a three-pointer from the top of the key to make the score 19-17 with just seven minutes remaining in the half.
The Cajuns took their first lead of the night with just 5:30 left on the play clock. Edwards tied the game with a turn around jumper under the basket and Jones' jumper gave the Cajuns the lead.
With three minutes to play in the half, Western Kentucky's Tifany Zaragoza tied the game at 25 apiece as she hit a long range three-pointer.
An errant pass by Blanche on the next possession allowed WKU's Charlotte Marshall to hit her third triple of the night to give the Lady Toppers the lead.
Sherita Anderson closed the gap to just one with just over two minutes to play in the half.
The Cajuns and Toppers would exchange baskets and the lead in the final 90-seconds, with Western Kentucky taking 32-31 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Jones led all scorers at the half, scoring 16 points in the initial frame. Jones also pulled down a half a dozen boards to lead the Cajuns in rebounds at the half.
Leading the way in the first half for Western Kentucky was Marshall who finished the half 5-of-6 from the floor including three triples for 13 points.
The Cajuns and Hilltoppers exchanged baskets for the first five minutes of the second half before for the Cajuns scoring slump allowed Western Kentucky to put the game out of reach.
The Cajuns will return to action for a pair of road contests on Thursday, Feb. 2, and Saturday, Feb. 4. The Ragin' Cajuns will face conference foe North Texas before continuing the road trip at Denver. UL will then host five home games to finish out the regular season.
-Ragin' Cajuns-
