University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Arkansas State*
Ragin' Cajuns at Arkansas State
2/7/2007 5:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jonesboro, Ark. - It happened again.
Louisiana's Ragin Cajuns led by as many as 21 points in the first half and by 16 points at the break, but Arkansas State took control of the game in the second half and defeated the Cajuns by a final score of 77-61.
Under head coach J. Kelley Hall, UL entered the game with a record of 64-8 when leading at the half, but three of the Cajuns eight defeats when leading at the half had come against Arkansas State (16-8, 9-4).
After shooting 50.0 percent in the first half, Louisiana-Lafayette (19-7, 10-4) shot a season-worst 18.9 percent in the second half. It didn't help matters that the Cajuns leading scorer Yolanda Jones played only eight minutes in the second half due to foul trouble.
The Cajuns were 2-for-19 from three-point range (1-for-13 in the second half) and were out rebounded 44-36 in the game (27-16 in the second half).
ASU's comeback started with a basket just 10 seconds into the second half. The Indians opened the second stanza with an 8-2 spurt to trim their deficit down to nine points.
The Cajuns responded with five of the next seven points thanks to a three-point play by Alicia McDaniel and a jumper by Onna Charles. Jones was whistled for fouls at the 19:14 and 16:12 marks of the second half ? giving her four personal fouls and sending her to the bench.
Charles scored the game's next basket, but ASU then went on a 20-1 run to take a three-point lead. Sonora Edwards picked-up her fourth foul at the end of the run and the Indians proceeded to push the ball inside nearly every possession.
Leading by two, ASU used a 7-0 run to take a nine-point lead, 64-55, with 4:09 remaining.
Jones checked-in with 3:58 left to play, but couldn't make a difference as the Indians had all the momentum.
A trio of Indians finished in double-figures and each scored in double figures alone in the second half, as ASU shot 63.3 percent in the second stanza. Caroline Starr finished with 23 points (18 second half), Adrianne Davie had 22 points (12 second half) and Rudy Sims totaled 18 points (15 second half).
Jones posted 23 points and seven rebounds, shooting only once in the second half. Charles ended the night as the only other Cajun in double figures with 15 points.
Jones had a monster first half to help the Cajuns to a 16-point halftime lead. Jones was 9-of-10 from the floor in the first 20 minutes, scoring 21 points and grabbing seven rebounds. UL carried a 38-22 edge into the second half.
ASU had a short-lived 4-2 lead until the Cajuns used an 11-0 run to take a nine-point edge. Jones ran the floor and tied the game with a lay-up in transition. Jumpers by McDaniel and Charles were followed by two free throws by Jones and a triple from Jeanenne Colbert giving UL a 13-4 lead at 15:07.
The Indians cut the Cajuns lead by one point, but two baskets by Jones, one in the paint by Edwards and two from the stripe by Kina Miller gave the Cajuns a 26-10 lead at the 7:43 mark.
Jones scored four straight baskets for the Cajuns to give UL a 34-15 advantage with 4:52 left in the first half. Charles followed with a driving jumper in the paint to push the Cajuns lead to 21 points with 3:39 showing on the clock.
ASU used a 7-2 run over the final 3:18 to cut the Cajuns lead to 16 points at the half.
The Cajuns will not play again until hosting Louisiana-Monroe on Wednesday, Feb. 14 at 7pm at Long Gym.
