Last Minute Heroics Lifts Cajuns

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.-Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns women's basketball team picked up their second win of the season, as they outlasted Alabama State, 51-49, in the consolation game of the 2008 Blazer Invitational in Birmingham, Ala.

Trailing by four with 1:30 on the clock, Whitney Dunlap took the inbounds pass in the corner and drained a three pointer to cut the margin to 47-46 with 87 seconds to play.

Alabama State responded with a fade-away jumper to give the Hornets a 49-46 cushion with 1:00 to play, but Alexis Green connected on a three pointer with 40.7 seconds to play to tie the score at 49 apiece. On the next possession, Green stole the ball at mid-court with just 19.8 seconds remaining. Green was fouled attempting the go-ahead layup with 5.2 seconds remaining.

Green, a 58-percent free throw shooter, knocked down both freebies to give UL a 51-49 lead with 5.2 seconds in regulation. Alabama State's desperation jumper as time expired hit the back of the rim and fell harmlessly to ground preserving the Cajuns' victory.

Alabama State jumped out to a quick 8-0 lead thanks to a pair of three pointers and a layup by Erica Lumpkin.

Green finished the game with nine points, but none were more important than her final five points of the game. She led the team with a season-best 15 rebounds.

Nicole Morris led all Cajuns players, netting 12 points on the day. Dunlap finished the game with eight points, including a pair of three pointers. Her two triples moved Dunlap into sole possession of sixth place on the Cajuns' career three-point list.

Trailing by eight, the Cajuns cut the ASU lead o just one point with a 7-to-0 run of their own. Morris drained a triple from the top of the key and Green made a pair from the charity stripe. D'Mya Clay capped off the run with a layup to cut the margin to 8-7 with just under 15-minutes to play in the first half.

A trey by ASU pushed their advantage back to four points, but baskets by Valanette Amie and Clay knotted the score at 11-11 with 13:09 remaining in the first.

The Cajuns took their first lead of the afternoon thanks to an Amy Richard layup. UL worked the ball around before finding Richard for the go-ahead basket.

Back-to-back-to-back buckets by Alabama State gave the designated home team a four point edge, 17-13, with 7:45 remaining in the half.

Louisiana once again tied the score, 17-17, this time thanks to a Mercedes Johnson jumper and a floater by Bronson Rodgers.

Clinging to a one-point lead, the Hornets received seven straight points from L'Teisha Holloway to push their lead to eight points.

A pair of free throws from Amie cut the ASU advantage to six points, 26-20, with 1:31 to play in the first frame.

Following an Alabama State free throw, Dunlap connected on a three pointer from the corner to trim the margin to 27-23 just before the half. Dunlap's triple gave the senior 110 in her career, tying her with Charlotte Green (1999-03) for sixth in Cajuns' history in three pointers made.

The Ragin' Cajuns wasted little time in the second half and regained the lead in just 89 seconds. Morris drained a three pointer from the corner and Clay connected on a mid-range jumper to give the Cajuns their first lead of the second half, 28-27, with 18:31 to play. Louisiana extended their lead to as many as eight as they opened the second half with an 11-to-0 run that spanned the first six and a half minutes of the half.

With the Cajuns leading by seven, ASU went on an 8-to-1 run to knot the game at 39-39 with less than eight minutes to play.

Alabama State regained the lead with a free throw by Tandria Milton to lead 40-39 with 7:11 remaining and a jumper by Lumpkin pushed the Hornets edge to three points.

Morris connected on a fast break layup to pull the Cajuns to within one, 42-41, with just over five minutes in regulation.

UL returns home to begin Sun Belt Conference play with a pair of games to close out the week. Louisiana will square off against North Texas in game one of a doubleheader with the men's basketball team at the CAJUNDOME. Tip-off against the Mean Green is slated for 5 p.m. The Cajuns return to the hardwood on Sunday afternoon to square off with in-state and conference rival ULM. The game with the Warhawks will be televised on CST and will start at 3 p.m. at the CAJUNDOME.

-www.RaginCajuns.com-

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