University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Denver
Cajuns Fall Short at Denver
2/10/2008 6:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Two three-point baskets by Brooke Meyer broke a tie game and gave the Pioneers a four-point lead with less than three minutes remaining in the contest.
UL (5-18, 1-11) couldn't get the shots to fall in the closing minutes and DU (9-14, 4-8) made six free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.
After leading for nearly the entire first half, the Cajuns relinquished their lead exactly five minutes into the second stanza.
With the game tied at 31-31, DU grabbed an eight-point edge thanks to a 10-2 scoring burst. Nnenna Akotaobi completed a three-point play to start the host's rally. Sara Benham then scored seven straight for the Pioneers to give DU a 41-33 lead with 9:26 left.
From there, the Cajuns scratched their way back. UL countered with a 10-2 run of their own to tie the game with five minutes remaining. Alicia McDaniel started the scoring with a free throw and was followed by baskets from Bronson Rodgers, Onna Charles and Courtney Ratliff. Whitney Dunlap buried a triple after good ball movement to knot the game at 46-46.
McDaniel led the Cajuns with 14 points, five assists and two steals. Ratliff finished with 12 points and was one rebound shy of a double-double. Sonora Edwards led all players with 10 rebounds.
Meyer led four Pioneers in double figures with 13 points.
Offense was slow to come by early.
The Cajuns led 2-0 until a basket by Benham tied the game at the 13:37 mark.
Ratliff put the Cajuns back in front, 4-2, at the 11:58 mark.
DU took their first lead, 8-7, midway through the first half, but the Cajuns immediately rallied with a 9-2 burst to take their biggest lead, 16-10, with 6:49 remaining in the half. Jasmine Barnes, McDaniel and Ratliff each scored before Dunlap drilled a three-pointer to account for the Cajuns scoring.
A basket by McDaniel with 3.3 seconds left in the opening half gave the Cajuns a four-point cushion at the break.
The Cajuns return home to host Louisiana-Monroe on Wednesday at Earl K. Long Gym at 7pm.
