University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Troy
Ragin' Cajuns vs. Troy
1/21/2007 5:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
LAFAYETTE - Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns took sole possession of first place in the Sun Belt West Division thanks to an 89-66 victory over Troy on Sunday afternoon.
UL (16-5, 8-2) moves one-half game ahead of Arkansas State, while Troy (10-9, 3-6) slips into a fourth place tie with South Alabama in the East Division.
Strong Cajuns defense over the final seven minutes proved to be the difference. Leading 73-59, the Cajuns allowed just three more baskets the rest of the game.
The Cajuns shot 56.9 percent in the game, including a season-high 68.8 percent in the second half.
An 8-0 Cajuns run to begin the second half propelled UL to a 45-31 lead at the 18:38 mark. A triple by Jeanenne Colbert, three-point play by Sonora Edwards and lay-up by Edwards quickly moved the Cajuns to a double-figure lead.
Troy came back with an 8-2 burst to trim the home edge to eight points, but UL countered with 12-3 jaunt to take a 17-point lead, 59-42, at 14:31.
Onna Charles led spurt with seven points, including her second three-pointer.
The game then went in spurts over the next six minutes, but the Cajuns lead never dipped below 13 points.
Three straight baskets in the paint by Yolanda Jones upped the Cajuns lead to 20 points, 79-59, with 5:54 to play.
Jones led a trio of Cajuns in double figures with 30 points. Edwards added 18 points and Charles recorded 15. Alicia McDaniel scored eight points and had a team-high eight rebounds.
The Cajuns led for most of the first 10 minutes, except for a pair of ties at 9-9 and 19-19.
Troy's Amy Lewis nailed a three-pointer as the shot clock expired to give the Trojans their first lead, 22-19, and ignite an 8-1 run. The visitors took a 27-20 edge with 6:37 to play in the opening half.
UL came back with a 17-4 burst to finish the half up six points. Edwards, Jones and Courtney Ratliff scored in succession to pull the Cajuns within one point. After a Trojans bucket, Charles tied the game with a triple.
Troy momentarily took the lead back, 31-29, at the 2:59 mark, but a Jones basket, Ratliff's first career three-pointer and a three-point play by McDaniel gave the Cajuns a 37-31 lead at the break.
The Cajuns will have a pair of road game coming up, with a Thursday match-up at Florida Atlantic, and then a game at #20 Middle Tennessee next Sunday afternoon.
