Cajuns Fall Just Short in Loss at Troy

Box Score

The Ragin' Cajuns women's basketball team pulled into a 52-all tie on a Krystal Motley jumper in the lane with 1:22 remaining in the game Saturday evening at Troy, but that was the squad's final basket of the game and the host-Trojans escaped with a 58-52 victory.

As a result, Louisiana (5-18, 0-11 Sun Belt) is still left searching for their first Sun Belt win of the season and Troy (2-20, 1-10 Sun Belt) collected its first league triumph.

The Trojans broke the stalemate with a pair of Sarah McAppion free throws with 55 seconds remaining. Troy's Jasmine Pitts collected a steal from Nicole Morris and Tenia Manuel converted a layup at 22 seconds to create a two-possession game.

UL's last attempt was a missed three-pointer by Megan Whittaker and the Trojans received two free throws from Manuel to finish off the scoring.

The loss spoiled the Cajuns comeback from a double-figure deficit in the first half. Louisiana took the lead three times in the second half, the last coming with 4:54 remaining after a Morris jumper made it 48-46. The Trojans got a three-pointer from Pitts at the 4:34 mark to reclaim the lead, 49-48.

Motley led the Cajuns with a game-high 19 points on 9-of-17 shooting. The Trojans were led by a trio of double figure scorers of which McAppion's 17 points were the highest tally.

The Ragin' Cajuns return home for a two-game homestand against the Arkansas schools. UL meets UALR on Wednesday, Feb. 8 at Earl K. Long Gym and faces Arkansas State on Saturday, Feb. 11 at the Cajundome.

With the victory, Troy evened up the all-time series at 5-5. The Trojans won for the fourth time in five meetings with the Cajuns at Sartain Hall.

The Trojans connected on four three-pointers during the first five minutes of play and lay claim to a 16-6 lead at the first media timeout.

The Cajuns, trailing 21-8 after nine minutes of action, brought their deficit into single digits with a 7-0 run jumpstarted by a Whittaker triple at the 9:48 mark.

Louisiana trailed 27-21 inside of four minutes, but moved within two points after a pair of Bianca Davis freebies, then a Motley layup after a Brooklyn Arceneaux steal at 3:15.

The teams swapped layups before the two-minute mark expired and Troy led 29-27. The Cajuns forced a turnover as Michelle Brunker collected a steal at 1:25. Two free throw makes from Arceneaux with 1:08 left in the opening stanza forged a 29-all tie.

UL had a chance to grab the lead, but Motley missed a mid-range jumper with 28 seconds before the break. Troy took advantage, netting a layup from Manuel as the horn sounded for a 31-29 halftime edge.

The Trojans would extend their lead to 37-31 early in the second half after a three-pointer from the left corner by McAppion at the 16:55 mark.

Louisiana rolled off seven straight points to take its first lead since the opening minute of the contest. Josie West spun through the lane for a layup at 16:28 and Brunker hit a jumper at 15:39 to cut the deficit to 37-35. The Cajuns pulled ahead 38-37 after Arceneaux completed a three-point play at 13:19.

Troy broke a 40-all tie when Sophie Kleeman knocked down a shot from the left wing as the shot clock expired at 11:07. The Trojans took advantage of an offensive rebound on their next possession to get a McAppion basket and a 44-40 lead with 10:06 remaining.

UL cashed in on Trojans turnovers on back-to-back possessions and pulled into a 44-all tie with 8:40 on the clock. The Trojans committed another turnover on the ensuing possession and Brunker buried a jumper from the left wing at 8:03 to give the Cajuns a 46-44 lead.

-- Ragin' Cajuns --

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