Rogers Victorious in Home Debut, 71-58

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LAFAYETTE ? Louisiana's head women's basketball coach Errol Rogers accomplished a milestone the program's three previous head coaches were unable to do Wednesday night. Senior forward Sonora Edwards (Snook, Texas) scored a career-high 21 points, while pulling down a game-high 13 rebounds to help give the first-year head coach a 71-58 win over Arkansas-Monticello in his home debut.

The win gave Rogers his first as a head coach as well as his first in front of the home crowd. Louisiana improves to 1-1 on the young season, while Wednesday's game served as an exhibition match for Arkansas-Monticello.

Onna Charles (New Iberia, La.) added 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting, while Whitney Dunlap (Baton Rouge, La.) also chipped in 15 points along with five assists.

Alicia McDaniel (Houston, Texas) recorded 10 points, while grabbing nine boards.

Arkansas-Monticello's Tasha Owens scored a team-high 15 points, while Janette Thompson added 13 points and eight rebounds.

Louisiana quickly extended its lead back to double digits, opening the second half with a 15-5 run to take a commanding 50-33 edge at the 14:55 mark. It didn't take long for the Cajuns' lead to reach the 20-point plateau. Edwards' three-point play at the 14:10 mark of the second half gave the home team a 56-36 lead.

Arkansas-Monticello wouldn't put up much of a fight in the second as the Cajuns held off the Cotton Blossoms for the 71-58 triumph. Louisiana shot 60 percent from the field in the second half, while holding UAM to 34.4 percent.

Louisiana struggled early in the first half as the Cotton Blossoms stayed close for the game's first eight-plus minutes. The Cajuns jumped out to a quick 8-2 edge after three Charles and one McDaniel two-point baskets.

However, the Cotton Blossoms surprised the Cajuns by going on a 10-4 run to pull even at 12 apiece forcing the home team to call a timeout. UL would respond with a second 8-2 run to regain a six-point lead, 20-14, with 8:55 remaining until halftime.

From there, the Cajuns' would increase to as many as 10 points, 30-20, before a Tasha Owens three-pointer cut it back down to seven, 30-23.

UL and UAM exchanged baskets during the final four minutes of the fist half as the Cajuns held on for a 35-28 lead entering the locker room.

Edwards paced the Cajuns, scoring a half-high 13 points on 4-of-5 shooting from the floor. The senior forward pulled down six boards while shooting a perfect 5-of-5 from the free throw line. Charles added eight points on 4-of-5 shooting.

Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns women' basketball team will return to action Sunday when they travel to Oxford, Miss., to face the Ole Miss Rebels. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m.

ARKANSAS-MONTICELLO 58

Owens, Tasha 5-11 0-0 15; Thompson, Janette 5-12 0-0 13; Dubose, Andrea 4-11

0-0 10; Brown, Erika 3-4 0-0 6; Davis, Alayna 2-5 1-2 5; Murphy, Sharlene

2-6 0-0 4; Martin, Kristi 0-9 4-4 4; Josey, LaToya 0-7 1-2 1; Agosto, Myrka

0-1 0-0 0. Totals 21-66 6-8 58.

LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE 71

Edwards, Sonora 7-9 6-6 21; Dunlap, Whitney 6-11 0-0 15; Charles, Onna 7-9

0-0 15; McDaniel, Alicia 5-8 0-0 10; Miller, Kina 2-6 4-6 8; Barnes, Jasmine

1-5 0-2 2; Clay, D'Mya 0-1 0-0 0; Bell, Lyndra 0-3 0-0 0; Agbuke, Ovigwerade

0-0 0-0 0; Amie, Valanette 0-0 0-0 0; Wilson, Shondalynn 0-0 0-0 0; Rodgers,

Bronson 0-1 0-1 0. Totals 28-53 10-15 71.

Arkansas-Monticello........... 28 30 - 58

Louisiana-Lafayette........... 35 36 - 71

3-point goals--Arkansas-Monticello 10-29 (Owens, Tasha 5-10; Thompson,

Janette 3-7; Dubose, Andrea 2-6; Murphy, Sharlene 0-1; Martin, Kristi 0-5),

Louisiana-Lafayette 5-13 (Dunlap, Whitney 3-5; Charles, Onna 1-1; Edwards,

Sonora 1-3; Barnes, Jasmine 0-3; McDaniel, Alicia 0-1). Fouled

out--Arkansas-Monticello-None, Louisiana-Lafayette-None.

Rebounds--Arkansas-Monticello 30 (Thompson, Janette 8), Louisiana-Lafayette

44 (Edwards, Sonora 13). Assists--Arkansas-Monticello 10 (Dubose, Andrea 3),

Louisiana-Lafayette 16 (McDaniel, Alicia 5; Dunlap, Whitney 5). Total

fouls--Arkansas-Monticello 13, Louisiana-Lafayette 15. Technical

fouls--Arkansas-Monticello-None, Louisiana-Lafayette-None.

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