Green Wave Pulls Away From Cajuns With Big First-Half Run

Box Score

The Tulane women's basketball team outscored Louisiana 20-2 over a nine-minute stretch of the first half Thursday afternoon at Earl K. Long Gym to break open a two-point contest on the way to a 75-40 victory.

The Ragin' Cajuns (5-7) trailed 6-4 at the 15:29 mark of the first half following a Brooklyn Arceneaux jumper. Starting with an Olivia Grayson jumper in the lane at 14:41 the Green Wave (9-2) embarked on the decisive run that opened a 26-6 advantage with 6:32 remaining in the opening half.

During the game-changing run the Green Wave registered seven field goal makes and held the Cajuns without a field goal from the 15:29 mark through 4:41 mark.

The Green Wave went into the locker room at halftime leading 36-13 on the strength of holding a 14-5 edge in field goal makes. Tulane shot 41 percent (14-of-34) in the opening half compared to Louisiana's 21 percent (5-of-24).

Tulane's lead remained above 20 points the entire second half as the Green Wave went on to pick up their third straight victory and hand UL its second straight defeat.

The Green Wave received a game-high 17 points from Grayson on 6-of-10 shooting (3-of-5 three-point range). The Cajuns were paced by nine points from Josie West and seven from Krystal Motley.

UL played without seniors Mercedes Johnson (illness) and Kemi Rotibi (knee injury) causing the team to have a distinct disadvantage in the post.

The Cajuns take an eight-day break from game action for the Christmas holiday and return to action on New Year's Eve hosting Florida Atlantic in the 2011-12 Sun Belt Conference opener at the Cajundome. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m.

Both teams took a few minutes to find a rhythm offensively at the onset as the only points scored in the first 2:54 were a pair of free throws by Jamie Kaplan. UL jumped on the scoreboard when Motley drove through traffic for a layup at 17:06 and the score was knotted at 2-all.

The Green Wave benefited from the inside presence of Adesuwa Ebomwonyi who registered points in the paint at 16:19 and 15:51 to provide the visitors with a 6-2 advantage.

Arceneaux buried a jumper at the top of the key at 15:29 to pull the Cajuns within two points, 6-4. Tulane responded with a 10-0 run to claim control of the contest and never let go.

Tyria Snow converted a give-and-go with Tiffany Dale at the 10:54 mark to move the Green Wave's lead into double figures for the first time at 15-4. Snow capped off the run with a layup at 9:32 and Tulane led 18-4.

Motley snapped the Cajuns scoreless streak with a pair of free throws at 9:04 and it was 18-6. The Green Wave pushed the lead to 20 points with eight unanswered points keyed by a pair of triples from Katye Magee.

A triple by Megan Whittaker with 4:41 left in the opening half lowered the deficit to 26-9. The Green Wave's next three field goal makes came from Brett Benzio the last one upping the lead to 32-11.

UL scored the first points of the second half receiving a free throw make from Motley at 19:10. A baseline jumper by Grayson and two free throws from Ebomwonyi during the 18-minute mark stretched the Tulane lead to 40-14.

After a Nino jumper at 17:46 made it 40-16, the Green Wave used a three-point play by Kaplan and three-point basket from Grayson to open a 30-point edge at 46-16 with 16:43 remaining.

Using a Davis triple at the 13:49 mark and then a Morris layup off of a steal the Cajuns lowered the Green Wave lead to 51-26 with 13:34 left to play.

That was the closest Louisiana would could get to Tulane as a triple by Blagg at 12:06 capped off a 6-2 run that increased the advantage to 57-28.

-- Ragin' Cajuns --

Green Wave Pulls Away From Cajuns With Big First-Half Run

Next Event

Footer

University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics