University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Denver*
Ragin' Cajuns at Denver
2/18/2007 5:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Denver - Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns defended a first-place showdown in Denver on Sunday afternoon, defeating the Pioneers by a final score of 67-55.
The win keeps UL (21-7, 12-4) in sole possession of first place in the Sun Belt West Division. UL is assured of finishing no worse than fourth overall in the conference with just two games remaining in the regular season.
DU (17-10, 11-6) falls into third place in the West Division, fifth overall.
The Cajuns, who have already established a school record for conference victories, are now one win away from setting a new school record for Division I wins. The team has nine true road wins this season, a new school record.
The Cajuns won the game with their second half defense, especially in the final four minutes. UL outscored the Pioneers 36-20 in the second stanza, holding DU to 18.9 percent shooting from the floor, including 1-for-17 from three-point range in the final 20 minutes.
DU opened the second half with a basket to extend their lead to six points.
The Cajuns responded with an 11-0 burst to claim a five-point lead.
Whitney Dunlap scored five straight points during the run to give the Cajuns back the lead. UL last led 13-12 at the 11:29 mark of the first half.
Dunlap was helped off the court with an apparent leg injury at the 13:30 mark of the second half. Her replacement, Jeanenne Colbert, capped the Cajuns run with a driving lay-up to give UL a 42-37 lead at 13:05.
After a basket by DU's Nnenna Akotaobi, the Cajuns used a 10-2 run to take their lead into double-figures.
Four points from Sonora Edwards, a free throw by Kina Miller and a three pointer from Yolanda Jones helped UL increase their lead to nine points, 50-41, with 8:40 remaining. Miller's lay-up at 7:51 put the Cajuns lead up to 11 points.
The Pioneers surged back with a 9-2 run to trim the Cajuns lead down to four points, 54-50, with 4:06 to play.
After the teams traded one free throw, Jones, Alicia McDaniel and Courtney Ratliff converted baskets in the paint to extend the Cajuns lead to 10 points, 61-51, with 1:47 left.
The Cajuns smothering defense in the final minute allowed only one basket. The final margin could have been greater had the Cajuns not missed four free throws in the last 60 seconds.
Jones led the Cajuns with 17 points and 10 rebounds for her 14th double-double of the season. Edwards and Onna Charles each finished with 14 points and had nine and eight rebounds, respectively.
All 10 Cajuns played in the game and eight played at least 12 minutes.
Denver had three players in double figures ? all scoring 10 points.
The game was tightly contested in the first 11 minutes. An 18-18 deadlock was a result of six lead changes and three ties.
The Cajuns were beat down the floor on several occasions leading to easy baskets for the Pioneers.
DU broke the 18-18 tie with a 15-4 run. The Pioneers connected on three straight three-point baskets to take an 11-point lead and capture the momentum.
The momentum shifted quickly back to the Cajuns thanks to a three-point basket by Charles. Charles' jumper sparked the Cajuns defense, which held DU scoreless for over four minutes. UL took advantage and scored nine unanswered points to pull within two points.
A three-point play by Jones preceded another triple by Charles and the Pioneers lead was cut to 33-31 with 18 seconds remaining in the half.
Tyesha Lowry's lay-up with two seconds remaining increased DU's lead to four points at the half.
The Cajuns will travel to Miami to face Florida International on Thursday.
