University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
New Orleans
Dunlap's Triple Propels Cajuns to Win
2/21/2008 6:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
The Cajuns have now won 10 straight vs. UNO. The last UNO victory came back on Feb. 9, 2003.
The Cajuns led for all but 30 seconds of the first half, and held a seven-point edge with nine minutes to play, but couldn't muster the offense to keep their lead.
Leading by seven, the Cajuns made only two free throws over the next seven minutes. Amazingly, the Cajuns trailed by only four points with 2:30 remaining.
Alicia McDaniel scored the Cajuns first field goal in a span of 7:42 to pull the Cajuns within two points. After a Talisha Young basket, Dunlap converted a three-point play to make it a one-point game, 56-55, with 1:20 left in the game.
Courtney Ratliff missed two free throws with 38.1 seconds remaining, but her offensive rebound gave the Cajuns another chance. UL committed a turnover with 17.8 second remaining and was forced to foul.
Brittany Helm missed the front end of a 1-and-1 to give the Cajuns possession.
Following a timeout with 7.6 seconds remaining, Dunlap came off a double screen and buried the game-winning triple.
McDaniel added 14 points and Sonora Edwards had 11 points and a team-best six rebounds. Edwards now sits 15 points shy of 1,000 for her career.
Le'Della English led a trio of Privateers in double figures with 15 points. Young added 13 points and Helm scored 11 points.
UNO made its first five shots of the second half, but the Cajuns countered with four of their first five to keep a four-point lead.
After the hosts closed within two points, the Cajuns used five unanswered to take a seven-point edge.
The Privateers tied the game thanks to offensive rebounds leading to second and sometimes third shots. With eight minutes to play, UNO had 34 total rebounds, including 17 offensive boards, while the Cajuns had only 18 total rebounds.
Ratliff gave the Cajuns back the lead with one free throw at the five minute mark, but Helm scored eight seconds later to give UNO their first lead since the 18:36 mark of the first half.
UNO dominated the rebounds, 42-26, but the Cajuns committed a season-low 10 turnovers.
Just as they did in the first meeting, the Cajuns jumped on the Privateers early. UL outscored UNO 19-7 in the first 9:05 of the game.
All five Cajuns starters had at least one basket in the first seven minutes, with McDaniel providing seven of UL's first 19 points.
UNO started the game 4-for-20 from the floor.
The Privateers bounced back with a 7-0 run to cut their deficit to five points.
Edwards converted a turnaround jumper ? her third basket of the first half ? to stop the host's run.
Dunlap's second triple pushed the Cajuns' lead to eight points, 26-18, with 4:07 remaining in the opening half.
Dunlap hit two more triples in the final minutes, but UNO outscored the Cajuns 9-6 to end the half down five points.
The Cajuns return home to face UALR on Sunday afternoon at Earl K. Long Gym. Tip is slated for 2pm.
