Women's Hoops to Finish Homestand Against Troy

Game 25

Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns (11-13, 4-9) vs Troy Trojans (9-14, 5-7)
Date: Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2014
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Site: Cajundome
Radio: None
TV: None
Live Video Stream/Stats: www.RaginCajuns.com
Series: Troy leads 7-6.
Last Meeting: Troy 87, Louisiana 75 at Troy, Alabama.
Louisiana season tickets available at RaginCajuns.com and by calling the Cajundome (337) 265-2357.

THE COACHES:
LOUISIANA
Garry Brodhead
At Louisiana: 21-34 (2nd Season)
Overall: Same
vs. Troy: 1-2

TROY
Chandra Rigby
At Troy: 16-38 (2nd Season)
Overall: Same
vs. Louisiana: 2-1

Game Notes

Setting the Scene: The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns women's basketball snapped an eight-game losing streak when they defeated first-place Arkansas State on Saturday at the Cajundome to improve to 11-13 on the season and 4-9 in Sun Belt Conference action. The Cajuns were led by 22 points from freshman Gabby Alexander, and benefited from a missed free throw with 0.1 seconds left in the game to win, 77-76. Alexander's 22 points were a career-high, becoming the third Cajun this season to register a 20-or-more point game. She joined leading scorer Sylvana Okde (11.2 ppg), and Jasmin Mills. Okde has scored 20-or-more in three games and Mills scored 20 in the season opener against Nebraska Omaha. Sophomore Brooklyn Arceneaux has scored double-digit points eight times in conference play and leads the way with 12.7 points and 6.2 rebounds in conference games.

About the Opponent: Troy enters the game as the conference's highest scoring offense, averaging 81.0 points a game, and are 5-1 since the first meeting between the Cajuns and Trojans. The Trojans are led by conference scoring leader Joanna Harden (25.3 ppg), who scored 28 points against the Cajuns in the first meeting, and Ashley Beverly-Kelley (13.6 ppg). Harden is the only player in the conference to average more than 20 points a game, averaging 7.0 points more than Aundrea Gamble (ASU/18.3 ppg), the conference's second scoring leader.

No Sleep For Brooklyn: Sophomore Brooklyn Arceneaux has found her stride in conference play, averaging 12.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per game in conference play. She has two double-doubles, including an 18 point and 11 rebound performance in the last meeting against Troy and two 19-point games, her career high, against South Alabama (1/15/14) and UALR (1/29/14).

Avoiding the Turnover: The Cajuns lead the Sun Belt in turnover margin (+5.92), forcing 21.9 turnovers a game and turning the ball over 16.0 times. The Cajuns lead the conference in turnovers forced and are second in the conference in turnovers committed.

Doing it with Defense: Part of the Cajuns success this season is thanks to its defensive effort. Heading into the Troy game, the Cajuns are third in the Sun Belt Conference in scoring defense (65.0), and steals (9.3) while coming second in 3-point field goal defense (.288).

Century Mark for Okde: Sophomore guard Sylvana Okde hit 74 3-pointers as a freshman in 2012-13 and has made 57 so far this season, becoming the eighth player in school history to reach 100 career triples. Two players have reached the 200-mark, with Rhonda McCullough (1987-90) holding the school record with 260, and Kim Perrot (1986-90) with 202. Perrot achieved that feat despite the 3-point shot being non-existent in her first season with the Ragin' Cajuns. Okde currently ranks sixth all-time at Louisiana in 3-pointers made with 131 career triples, behind Onna Charles (2005-08) with 143.

Double-Double²: The Cajuns have four double-doubles on the season, with two by Jasmin Mills, and one each from Brooklyn Arceneaux and Kia Wilridge. The double-doubles have come in groups, with Mills' coming in back-to-back games, and Wilridge and Arceneaux's also coming in back-to-back games. Mills scored 20 points with 11 rebounds against Nebraska Omaha (11/8/13) and followed that with 16 points and 11 rebounds against SUNO (11/11/13). Wilridge scored 11 points with 11 boards against South Alabama (1/15/14), and Arceneaux scored 18 points with 11 rebounds against Troy (11/18/14).

What's Next? The Ragin' Cajuns will take to the road for two games, traveling to Georgia State for a one-game road trip. The Cajuns and Panthers will tip off at 5 p.m. on Saturday, before returning home to for their final home game of the season against South Alabama on March 2 in the Cajundome.

Game Day Story Lines

• The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns women's basketball team tips off against Troy in their final game of a three-game homestand at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at the Cajundome.

• The Trojans defeated the Cajuns, 87-75, in the first meeting this season at Troy. Brooklyn Arceneaux had a double-double, scoring 18 points and grabbing 11 rebounds and Sylvana Okde had 22 points to lead the way for the Cajuns. The Trojans were led by 28 points from conference scoring leader Joanna Harden and 17 points from Ashley Beverly-Kelley.

• Troy holds a 7-6 lead in the all-time series, dating back to Jan. 14, 2006. The Trojans also hold a 2-1 record in the past two seasons, when both head coaches, Garry Brodhead and Chandra Rigby, joined their respective schools.

• Freshman Gabby Alexander scored a career-high 22 points against first-place Arkansas State on Saturday in the Cajuns 77-76 victory.

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Women's Hoops to Finish Homestand Against Troy

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