Trojans Spoil Cajuns Return Home

LAFAYETTE-After playing back-to-back Sun Belt Conference games on the road, Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns women's basketball team returned home, but the Cajuns (3-14, 0-6 SBC) homecoming was spoiled as they dropped a 77-46 decision to UALR (14-3, 6-0 SBC) on Wednesday night at Earl K. Long Gym.

Despite the lopsided score, through the first 35 minutes of play, the Cajuns shot 50-percent from the floor and were tied with UALR with 19 rebounds apiece. Louisiana finished the game shooting 44-percent from the floor, but was hampered by 19 turnovers that led directly to 28 points for the visitors.

UL was led once again by the tandem of Alexis Green and Mercedes Johnson. Green and Johnson netted 17 and 12, respectively. The duo have each recorded double-digit scoring efforts in each of the Sun Belt Conference games they have played ? all six games for Johnson and five for Green.

With the exception of Green and Johnson, the Cajuns' offense failed to find a significant offensive presence. The Cajuns received 11 points from Jasmine Barnes and Michelle Brunker combined and just six points off of the bench.

The Cajuns failed to top the 50-point plateau for the fourth consecutive game and the eighth time this season.

UALR was led by a trio of players in double-digits ? Kim Sitzmann (17 points), Chastity Reed (13 points) and Anshel Cooper (12 points).

The game started with the two teams exchanging 6-to-0 runs. The Trojans jumped out to an early 6-0 lead, but a triple by Alexis Green cut the UALR advantage in half. A layup by Jasmine Barnes combined with a free throw from Mercedes Johnson knotted the score at 6-6 with 17:27 remaining in the half.

UALR rattled off five straight points before Johnson connected on a mid-range jumper to trim the deficit to just three. However, the Trojans used an 11-to-2 run to build a 12-point advantage with just over 11 minutes to play in the first half.

Green stopped the run with her second trey of the game, cutting the UALR lead to single digits (22-13).

The two teams exchanged baskets over the next two-minutes of action, until UALR's Chastity Reed was fouled making a layup. Reed converted the three point play to push the Trojans' lead to 12 and a quick basket gave the visitors a 31-17 edge with 7:41 to play.

Trailing 33-19, the Cajuns trimmed the margin to just 10. Johnson and Green connected on back-to-back jumpers to bring the score to 33-23 with 4:27 remaining.

UALR outscored the Cajuns 10-to-2 over the final four minutes of the half to take a 43-25 lead into halftime.

The Trojans methodically increased their advantage in the second half, leading by as many as 31 points.

The Ragin' Cajuns women's basketball team will be back in action on Wednesday, Jan. 21 as they travel to Bowling Green, Ky. to take on defending Sun Belt Conference champions, Western Kentucky. The game against the Hilltoppers is set to tip-off at 7 p.m.

-www.RaginCajuns.com-

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