Ragin' Cajuns Fall on the Road to UALR

Box Score

A reversal in shooting fortunes led to Wednesday's game at UALR getting away from the Ragin' Cajuns women's basketball team and as a result the squad was dealt a 56-45 defeat at the Jack Stephens Center in Little Rock.

Louisiana (5-13, 0-6 Sun Belt) began the second half 4-of-6 from the floor and UALR (9-10, 4-2 Sun Belt) started 2-of-8. That allowed the Ragin' Cajuns to close their deficit to 33-31 with 15:26 remaining.

A two-shot foul from Krystal Motley gave UL an opportunity to create a tie. Motley made only one free throw and the Cajuns made only one field goal over the next 14 minutes.

The Trojans closed out the contest 10-of-19 from the field compared to 3-of-17 for the Cajuns. UALR took off on a 12-0 run following Motley's missed free throw to stretch the lead to double figures for good.

The loss was the eighth straight for Louisiana and kept the squad winless in Sun Belt action. The Cajuns will attempt to halt the streak and break into the win column in SBC play on Saturday as they face Arkansas State at 3:05 p.m., at the Convocation Center in Jonesboro, Ark.

Motley led the Cajuns with a game-high 17 points. The performance marked the ninth double figure scoring game of the season for the senior from Houston.

The Trojans placed three in double figures led by Britteni Williams' 15 points. UALR used a 38-point showing in points in the paint, plus recorded 21 points off Cajuns turnovers to grab the victory.

After a slow start in which only four points were recorded in the game's first 3:10, both squads combined for 13 points over a 1:20 stretch starting with a Marian Kursh layup at 15:56.

UL grabbed a 6-4 lead on baskets by Motley on consecutive possessions inside the 15 minute mark. After the Trojans drew even at 6-all on a Taylor Gault basket at 15:01, Josie West buried a triple at the top of the key at 14:49 for a 9-6 Cajuns advantage.

Michelle Brunker hit a jumper at the free throw line coming out of the 15-minute timeout to return the Cajuns lead back to three points, 11-8. The Trojans took advantage of six unanswered points in the paint to build a 14-11 by the 11-minute timeout. UALR's run reached eight points following a Taylor Ford jumper at 10:17.

UL forced the Trojans into four consecutive field goal misses over the next three minutes and drew within one point, 16-15, following a Laurie Beaty basket with 7:46 remaining in the opening stanza.

Janette Merriex countered Beaty's basket with a three-pointer 19 seconds later and the Trojans were off on an 11-2 run that extended the lead to 27-17 by the 2:23 mark.

Baskets from Jean-Marie Allen and West in the final minute of the half cut the Cajuns halftime deficit to 29-23. UALR benefited from a 20-10 edge in points in the paint to build its halftime lead.

The Cajuns battled back early in the second half and were a free throw away from pulling into a tie game with 15:26 remaining.

A Motley layup at 17:36 returned the Cajuns to their halftime deficit of six points at 33-27. UL took advantage of a Trojans turnover and missed layup on the next two possessions to register field goal makes that sliced the margin to 33-31.

Motley drew a foul at 15:26, made the first free throw but missed the second which would have forged a 33-all tie. The Cajuns, who made 4-of-6 field goal attempts to start the second stanza, missed their next six attempts and the hosts rolled off a 12-0 run that opened a 45-32 advantage with 9:57 to play.

A Beaty triple at 8:41 closed the deficit to 47-37, but that was as close as the Cajuns would get as the squad would get only two more field goal make the remainder of the contest.

-- Ragin' Cajuns --

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