University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Bethune-Cookman
Cajuns Fall in Buzzer Beater to B-CU, 63-61
12/14/2010 1:01:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Bethune-Cookman pulled out the, 63-61, victory over the University of Louisiana women's basketball team with a buzzer beater in the final seconds of regulation at Earl K. Long Gym on Monday evening.
The Ragin' Cajuns (5-5) lost the heartbreaker as Bethune-Cookman's Jasmine Elum scored from a half-court pass with only one second remaining. UL rallied back from a five point deficit in the final two minutes, but B-CU (3-3, 0-1 MEAC) used the pass to clinch their third victory of the season.
UL forced two turnovers in the final minute, giving the Cajuns an opportunity to tie the contest. Mercedes Johnson added a free throw with 54 seconds left in the game to cut B-CU's lead to 61-59. Guard Jasmine Barnes tied the game with five ticks left on the clock by draining pair of free throws.
The Cajuns shot 38.6 percent (22-of-57) from the floor, holding Bethune-Cookman to just 37.1 percent (23-62). The Lady Wildcats dominated the rebound column, 44-to-36 over Louisiana.
Johnson was the only Ragin' Cajuns player to reach double-figures, scoring 14 points and pulling in six rebounds in 27 minutes.
Barnes, a senior guard from Baton Rouge, inked nine points and six boards, tallying three assists and a steal.
Center Kemi Rotibi again just missed a double-double, tallying eight points and 10 boards. She recorded five blocks in the game, the first Cajun to accomplish such a feat since Kina Miller recorded five at Florida Atlantic on Jan. 25, 2007.
Nicole Morris tallied eight points and four boards, while Lyndra Bell added seven points with six rebounds.
Demetria Frank and Jasmine Daniels led the way for the Lady Wildcats. Frank scored 20 points with six rebounds, including two 3-pointers. Daniels followed with 18 for B-CU, pulling in five boards and also scoring a pair of triples
Louisiana shot a season-low 32.1 percent in the half, connecting on just nine shots out of 28 attempts. Johnson led Louisiana with seven points and two rebounds. BC-U controlled the boards, out-rebounding the Cajuns 27-to-18.
Louisiana went on a 9-4 run to start the game. Danyell Oliver drained a triple and Rotibi made a layup to extend UL's lead to five at 12:46.
Morris made a triple at 10:56 to put the Cajuns up by six. Johnson, a Houston native, scored on a breakaway to put UL up with their largest margin in the half, 14-6, at the 9:30 mark.
Rotibi scored another inside basket to help UL take a 21-17 advantage. The junior added two more points by free throws to help UL re-extend a 23-17 lead. UL again went up by seven with a free throw by Davis at 2:31 left in the contest.
Bethune Cookman then went on a 9-to-2 run to close out the half.
Elum's jumper helped B-CU cut their deficit to 24-21 at 1:38. Johnson scored a rebound tip to put Louisiana up, 26-21. An offensive rebound by the Lady Wildcats help them pull within two with 53 seconds remaining. Daniels drained a basket in the final second of the half to tie the contest at 26-26.
The contest went back and forth for the majority of the second half.
Frank and Daniels Frank connected on a pair of back-to-back triples to give Bethune-Cookman a 45-41 lead at 9:15 in the second.
The freshman Davis drained a triple for Louisiana at 7:40 to again tie the contest at 46-46.
Sarah Bolden connected on a basket and a plus-one to extend the Lady Wildcat's lead to 49-46 at 7:15.
Louisiana's Michelle Brunker drained a two point basket to help the Cajuns pull within one at 6:43.
Another jumper inside by Johnson gave UL the 50-49 advantage. Free throws by Barnes and Johnson helped Louisiana extend to a 54-51 lead with 5:04 remaining.
B-CU's Cleniece Roberts hit two freebies to pull within one at 4:42. Roberts had another opportunity, but missed both shots. However, Sarah Bolden got the rebound to score the put-back and gave Bethune-Cookman a 55-53 lead.
Frank hit a triple with the shot clock expiring to put Bethune-Cookman up by four at 2:48. Rotibi inked a rebound and scored another basket to help Louisiana pull within two at 2:32.
Another triple with time expiring on the shot clock by Bethune-Cookman's Elum gave the Lady Wildcats the five-point edge, 61-58. Brunker drained a basket at 1:19 to help UL pull within three.
In the final minute, Louisiana forced a turnover and had a possession to potentially tie the contest. Johnson was fouled and banked one of two opportunities.
UL forced another turnover with 43 seconds left to have a chance to tie the contest. UL threw the ball out of bounds, giving it back to B-CU.
Barnes hit the pair of freebies, but it wasn't enough as Elum's last-second shot gave the Lady Wildcats the win.
The Ragin' Cajuns will play again in three days when they host another MEAC opponent, Savannah State. The contest is scheduled for a 6 p.m. tip-off inside Earl K. Long Gym. Live video and stats will be available online at RaginCajuns.com.
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