UL Returns Home to Host Cowgirls

GAMECENTER
Date: Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010
Location: Lafayette, La.
Opponent: McNeese State
Site: Earl K. Long Gym (1,121)
Game Time: 7:00 p.m.
Live Stats/Video: RaginCajuns.com
Radio: Sportsradio ESPN 1420

Play-by-Play: Steve Peloquin

Gameday Story Lines

Louisiana (3-3) returns home after a four-game road swing that included stops at Southern, the USM Lady Eagle Thanksgiving Classic and New Orleans.
The Ragin' Cajuns are on a two-game winning streak with a 79-66 win over Murray State and an 88-27 victory over New Orleans.
UL has recorded the most wins in November since 2006, when they recorded eight.
A victory on Thursday would be the first winning record at this point of the season for the Cajuns since 2006.
Mercedes Johnson leads the Cajuns' offense, averaging 16.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.
The junior is shooting 50 percent from the field, connecting on 36-of-72 attempts.
Danyell Oliver is also in double figures, posting 11.8 points per game with a team-high eight assists.
Senior Jasmine Barnes is averaging 8.8 points per game, while reeling in 6.0 rebounds per contest.

Scouting the Cowgirls

Series History - McNeese State leads the series, 26-12
Last Meeting: UL 82, MSU 68 • Burton Coliseum • 12/2/2009 • Lake Charles, La.

Louisiana and McNeese State (3-3) are meeting for the 39th time with a series that began on Feb. 10, 1971.
Last year, UL defeated the Cowgirls 82-68 at Burton Coliseum in Lake Charles on Dec. 2, 2009. Mercedes Johnson led the Cajuns with 20 points and three rebounds.
McNeese State is coming off of a come-from-behind 63-62 win over Colgate in the consolation game of the Courtyard LaGuardia Turkey Classic last week.
Sophomore guard Ashlyn Baggett continues to lead the Cowgirls in scoring and is the only player averaging in double figures with 15.2 ppg.
Baggett also leads the team with a 40.9 three-point field goal percentage and 2.5 steals per game.
Junior forward Kendra Wells leads the team with 6.7 rebounds per game, while senior forward Kiara Johnson is averaging 6.5 rpg.
The Cowgirls are averaging 70.3 points, 40.0 rebounds and 13.0 assists per game.
McNeese State's opponents are averaging 59.2 points per game, with 40.3 rpg and 11.6 apg.

WHERE THEY RANK

Louisiana ranks in the top-100 nationally in two team categories.
UL is third in the Sun Belt and 33rd in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage (34.8), while ranking fifth in the SBC and 64th in the country in 3-point defense as opponents are hitting just 27.3 percent.
Junior Danyell Oliver is second in the Sun Belt and 14th in the nation in free throw percentage, hitting 85.7 percent (18-of-21) of her shots.
Mercedes Johnson is fifth in the Sun Belt and 68th in the country, averaging 16.5 points per game.

MERCEDES CONTINUES HER SCORING WAYS

Mercedes Johnson continues to be an offensive threat for the Cajuns.
The preseason All-Sun Belt selection has now reached 10 consecutive games with double-figures, dating back to Feb. 20, 2010.
Overall, Johnson leads the team in points per game (16.5). She is second on the team in field goal percentage (.500, 36-of-72), rebounds (5.0 rpg) and steals (1.2 spg).

'JAS'-ING IT UP

Senior Jasmine Barnes continues to contribute in a major way this season. The Baton Rouge native is averaging 8.8 points per game and leads the squad with 36 total rebounds for 6.0 per game through six contests.
She is shooting a team-high 52.5 percent from the floor (21x40), including 14 points at Southern on Nov. 23.

QUICK HITTERS

Louisiana held New Orleans to a UNO record-low 27 points, while scoring the most points since an 86-76 win over Houston Baptist on Dec. 16, 2009.
Danyell Oliver tied a game-best 20 points in the team's loss at Southern.
Oliver leads the team with nine made 3-pointers. She is averaging 11.8 points per game with 2.8 rebounds per contest. She ranks first in free throws 18-of-21 (85.7).
Junior Danielle Smith is averaging 6.0 points per game, including 12 points against USM and Murray State.
Lyndra Bell has started out a solid senior campaign. She narrowly missed a career high with 17 points in the game at Murray State.
Bell is third on the team with 6.8 points per game, while pulling in 3.0 rebounds per game.

COMPARING THE NUMBERS

This year, the Cajuns have connected on 43.6 percent (153x351) from the floor compared to 36.5 percent (128x351) at this point a year ago.
UL has made 96 free throws this year. At this point last year, UL had only made 85.
Last year, UL had 213 (35.5 rpg) rebounds in six games, this year the team has corralled 245 (40.8 rpg) boards.

-- Ragin' Cajuns --

University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics

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