Louisiana Handles UNO, 88-27

The University of Louisiana women's basketball team used an all-around effort as the Ragin' Cajuns defeated the University of New Orleans, 88-27, at Lakefront Arena on Monday evening.

Louisiana (3-3) shot 56 percent in the game (38-of-67), holding the Lady Privateers to just 10 of 56 shooting on the floor for 18 percent. UNO was held to a season-low 27 points, setting a new school record for the lowest points scored in a game --- breaking a record of 29 set by Auburn in 2005.

Three Cajuns hit double figures as Josie West set a career record 20 points in the win. West inked six boards and was 8-for-11 from the field.

Mercedes Johnson extended her double-digit scoring streak to 10 games with 12 points and five boards in the win. Jasmine Barnes also reached double figures with 11 points, hitting five-of-eight attempts from the floor.

Louisiana was stout defensively out-rebounding the Lady Privateers 52-to-25. UL forced 19 UNO turnovers, while committing a season-low nine.

The Cajuns held an opponent under 40 points for the first time since a 53-35 win over Savannah State on Jan. 9, 2010.

Junior Kemi Rotibi narrowly missed a double-double with nine points and nine boards. She also recorded a season-high three blocks in the contest.

Louisiana used a 17-0 run to take a comfortable 37-17 margin at the half. Louisiana hit 49 percent from the floor, connecting on 17 out of 35 attempts. Junior Mercedes Johnson had six points and three boards. Danyell Oliver and Danielle Smith each had five points in the first half.

Oliver connected on two 3 pointers and a field goal for eight points in the contest, while reeling in six boards.

New Orleans scored the first basket in the game at 19:30 to take a 3-0 lead.

Louisiana then proceeded on a 17-0. Barnes had five of the first nine points for the Cajuns during that stretch.

Johnson proceeded to hit a jumper followed by a fast break opportunity by Smith to give UL a 13-3 advantage with 14:00 minutes left in the first.

Johnson and Smith proceeded to hit a pair of jumpers before UNO answered with a triple to snap a seven minute scoring drought. UNO then rallied for a 5-2 run to cut UL's lead to 19-10 at 10:44.

UL then went on a 6-0 run to take a 15-point lead with 7:05 left. Rotibi's jumper at 1:42 snapped a three-plus minute scoring drought for the Ragin' Cajuns.

Oliver hit a triple with a minute left in the contest to put the Cajuns up 34-15. Rotibi hit a layup and added a plus-one to extend Louisiana's lead to a 37-17 at the half.

In the second half, Louisiana began the half with a 25-to-2 run to separate themselves from the Lady Privateers.

A put-back by Johnson from a missed free throw attempt helped Louisiana expand the lead to 35-17 with 18:08 remaining in the second.

Barnes added the next couple of baskets for the Cajuns as UL went up 47-17. Oliver drained her second 3-pointer of the game to help Louisiana reach the 50-point plateau. Barnes inked another jumper to give UL a 52-19 lead with 14:29 left.

Barnes scored seven points for UL in the span of seven minutes. New Orleans snapped their scoring drought to make it a 66-21 contest with a layup by Megan Buckley.

D'Mya Clay's triple at 7:56 helped put UL's lead up to 50 points. UNO drained another triple to cut the mark to 71-24 in favor of UL. Clay finished the game with seven points.

Jean-Marie Allen set a career-high with five points and two rebounds.

West's jumper at 7:03 allowed her to set a career-high breaking a previous best of 10 against Centenary on Dec. 21, 2009.

Louisiana again added 17 more points in the half to close out the game with the highest scoring total of the season.

The Ragin' Cajuns return to Earl K. Long Gym after closing out their four-game road stretch on Monday. UL will host McNeese State (3-3) in a 7 p.m. contest on Thursday, Dec. 2. Steve Peloquin will have the play-by-play beginning with pre-game coverage at 6:45 p.m. on ESPN Sportsradio 1420 AM.

-- Ragin' Cajuns --

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