Cajuns Close Out Non-Conference Play With 65-56 Win

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LAFAYETTE, La. – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns women's basketball team overcame an early second half deficit to record a 65-56 victory over Jackson State in their final non-conference game of the season Sunday at the Cajundome.

After trailing by three points two minutes into the second half, Jaylyn Gordon helped the Cajuns regain the lead with five-straight points. After the Lady Tigers evened the contest at 36-all, Keke Veal and Robbie Brown combined for seven unanswered points with just over 12 minutes to play to give the Cajuns a lead they would not relinquish.

Veal led the Cajuns (8-1) with 15 points, 13 coming in the second half, along with a team-best five assists. Gordon added 14 points, shooting 7-of-8 from the free-throw line, while posting a career-high five steals in the victory. Kia Wilridge finished with 12 points, three steals and three assists. Veal, Wilridge and Jasmin Mills each totaled seven boards to lead Louisiana.

"The first half we were sluggish, and that's why we wanted this game," said head coach Garry Brodhead. "You take a break for seven or eight days and you want to get them going again. I think we have to get a little bit more consistent and give a little more effort. I was pleased the second half. We did some better things, and hopefully that can carry over into Tuesday's game, which is the main thing, in starting conference."

Ke'ra St. John led the Lady Tigers (3-8) with 11 points and 11 rebounds while Ayanna Hardy-Fuller and Dominique Brothern each added 10 points apiece. Brothern also recorded six steals to her stat line.

After Jackson State jumped out to a 4-0 lead, the Cajuns answered with a 17-2 run over the next five minutes of play with seven points coming from Wilridge to make it 17-6 with 12:55 remaining in the first half.

Louisiana was able to hold a sizeable lead over the Lady Tigers through much of the first half until Jackson State made a late run in the final minutes of the period. After a jumper by Wilridge pushed the lead to 22-15 with 7:19 to play, the Lady Tigers answered with a 7-0 spurt, capped off by an Ayanna Lynn jumper to knot the game up at 22 with 2:38 remaining. Gabby Alexander quickly gave the lead back to the Cajuns with a layup in the paint. Louisiana was able to hold on to its advantage the remainder of the half to take a 29-25 lead into the break.

Jackson State hung close to the Cajuns through most of the second half until Veal scored six points in an 8-0 Cajuns run to give Louisiana its largest lead of the day at 54-42 with 7:37 to play.

St. John knocked down back-to-back free throws for the Lady Tigers to pull them within six with 4:22 remaining, but the Cajuns managed to keep their distance and pull out the 65-56 victory.

Louisiana shot 35.6 percent for the game while Jackson State finished with a 35.3 shooting percentage. The Cajuns and Lady Tigers each totaled 19 points from the charity stripe as Louisiana was 19-of-27 and Jackson State finished 19-of-29.

Louisiana begins Sun Belt Conference play Tuesday when the Cajuns travel to Little Rock, Arkansas, to take on UALR in a 5:30 p.m. contest at the Jack Stephens Center.

-- RaginCajuns.com --

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Team Stats

Keke Veal

Jaylyn Gordon

Kia Wilridge

Gabby Alexander

Players Mentioned

Gabby Alexander

Robbie Brown

Jaylyn Gordon

Jasmin Mills

Keke Veal

Kia Wilridge