University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Bethune-Cookman
Ragin' Cajuns vs. Bethune-Cookman
11/24/2006 5:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
COLUMBIA, S.C.-Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns advanced to the championship game of the South Carolina Thanksgiving Tournament thanks to an 86-23 victory over Bethune-Cookman. Louisiana (5-2) advances to Saturday's 7pm championship against either Mercer or host South Carolina.
The 63-point margin of victory is the largest under head coach J. Kelley Hall, surpassing a 61-point victory over Prairie View A&M on Dec. 13, 2004 at Earl K. Long Gym. It also marks the biggest victory over another Division I school.
The Cajuns record for largest margin of victory is 94 points against then-NAIA Southern (N.O.) on Dec. 7, 1982 in Blackham Coliseum.
Louisiana built a 33-14 first half lead thanks to terrific defense. The Cajuns shot just 29 percent in the first half, but held Bethune-Cookman to 17.9 percent in the opening stanza.
The Wildcats scored the game's first basket on a lay-up by Traci Fountain. Unfortunately, that would be the only points BCC would score over the next 9:30, as UL used a 21-0 run to take control of the game.
Onna Charles jumper at the 19:01 mark tied the game and her three-point play put the Cajuns in front at 17:23. Yolanda Jones and Alicia McDaniel scored 12 of the next 14 points before Courtney Ratliff's offensive rebound and put-back capped the Cajuns scoring burst and left BCC bewildered.
The Cajuns held their 19-point edge heading into the second half, 33-14, when the game turned for the worse for BCC.
Louisiana started the second frame with a 19-2 run over the opening 6:36 to build a 52-16 lead. Jones scored 12 of UL's 19 points during the run.
Coach Hall then pulled all of his starters following the 8-minute media timeout.
The deflated Wildcats fared no better again the Cajuns next five, as UL outscored BCC 28-5 over the final 11:17. UL shot 54.5 percent in the second half, compared to 13.6 percent for BCC.
Jones led all players with 18 points and 12 rebounds ? her 19th career double-double. Charles finished with 17 points, while Amber Williams came off the bench to notch a career-high 16 points in 16 minutes. McDaniel ended the night with 10 points, seven rebounds and four assists in just 24 minutes
