Comeback Falls Short at Savannah State

SAVANNAH, Ga.-Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns women's basketball team trailed by as many as 15 points late in the second half, but cut the lead to as little as five points before falling to Savannah State 71-62 on Friday afternoon at Tiger Arena.

The Cajuns fell to 4-7 on the season, while the Lady Tigers improved to 7-5.

UL was led offensively by seniors Alicia McDaniel (Houston, Texas) and Sonora Edwards (Snook, Texas).

McDaniel led all Cajuns with 13 points. The double-digit effort was her third straight and her sixth of the year.

Edwards finished the game with a double-double. She netted 10 points and grabbed 11 boards for her second straight double-double and her fourth of the season.

The Ragin' Cajuns trailed 62-47 with 5:53 remaining in the game.

A pair of free throws by Edwards, a jumper by Onna Charles (New Iberia, La.) and a freebie by Kina Miller (Aurora, Ill.) cut the deficit to 62-52 with less than five minutes to play.

A lay-up by Edwards with 3:50 remaining on the clock cut the SSU advantage to just eight points.

The Cajuns cut the lead to five points on the ensuing possession. Dunlap stole the inbounds pass and connected on a triple trim the margin to 62-57 with 3:35 to play.

The Tigers converted a three-point play, but Elaine McCants (Boston, Mass.) countered that with a triple as the shot clock was expiring with 2:38 to play trimming the lead to 65-60.

The Cajuns managed just one basket the remainder of the game, being outscored 6-2 over the final two minutes.

The two teams play almost even for the first 10 minutes of the game.

Savannah State opened the game with a basket, but the Cajuns took a 6-2 lead thanks to a pair of lay-ups by Courtney Ratliff (Canton, Miss.) and a jumper by McDaniel.

The Lady Tigers responded with five straight points to take a 7-6 lead with 16:19 left to play in the first half.

The Cajuns used a lay-up by Ratliff and a triple by McCants to regain their four-point edge.

A basket by Charles gave the Cajuns a six point lead ? their largest of the first half ? at 13-7.

With the Cajuns leading 21-17, Savannah State made a charge and took advantage of an UL scoring drought.

The drought lasted nearly six minutes, and the Lady Tigers were able to build an 11-point lead with a 13-0 run.

Edwards ended the scoring deficiency with a lay-up at the 3:44 mark of the first half, cutting the deficit to single digits at 32-23.

The two teams exchanged baskets over the final two minutes of the first half and UL entered the locker room at halftime on the wrong end of a 36-25 score.

Savannah State built their lead to as many 15-points before the Cajuns went on a 10-2 run.

Trailing 41-26 with 5:53 to play, Charles drained a triple from the top of the key and McDaniel followed with a jumper to cut the lead to 10.

A basket by the Lady Tigers pushed the lead back to a dozen, but a trey by McDaniel, followed by a lay-up by Sonora Edwards cut the advantage to seven at 43-36.

Trailing 48-36, Dunlap scored the next five points for the Cajuns. Dunlap drained a three-pointer and converted 2-of-3 free throws after being fouled taking another trey.

SSU extended their lead to 13 points before the Cajuns responded back-to-back lay-ups to cut the Tigers' advantage to 54-45 with 10:12 remaining in the game.

Over the next four minutes, the Lady Tigers out scored the Cajuns 8-2 to extend their lead to back to 15 points.

The Ragin' Cajuns continue their road swing as they head to Starkville, Miss. to take on Mississippi State. Tip-off for the game is slated for 3:30 p.m.

-www.RaginCajuns.com-

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