University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Saturday, January 30
Lafayette
2 p.m.
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
15-4, 8-2SBC
63
vs
52
UT Arlington
8-11, 3-6SBC
1
2
3
4
F
UT Arlington
11
18
13
10
52
Louisiana
14
15
11
23
63
Washington, Veal Combine for 40 points in 63-52 Win
1/30/2016 5:18:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Cajuns senior guard Keke Veal pours in team-high 21 points, junior Taylor Washington adds career-high 19 points
LAFAYETTE – Senior Keke Veal and junior Taylor Washington teamed up to score 40 of their team's 63 points as the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns women's basketball team defeated UT Arlington, 63-52 at the Cajundome Saturday afternoon.
Veal came back from a two-point performance against Texas State last Thursday to register a team-high 21 points, while Washington splashed five three-pointers to finish with a career-high 19 points.
"Taylor coming off the bench and giving us what she did [with the 19 points] was big," Ragin' Cajuns head coach Garry Brodhead said. "We talk all the time about preparing for your opportunities and that's what she did.
Keke practices great, she brings a lot of energy," Brodhead added. "We are a little bit on the smaller side so we have to out-work teams, out-defend teams and continue to believe in one another. We have to keep that mindset to keep improving and working hard."
Three Cajuns seniors, Veal, Kia Wilridge and Brooklyn Arceneaux, each hit buckets in the first 5:22 as the two foes played to a 6-6 draw.
After falling behind, 9-6 after UT Arlington's LaShanda Green splashed a three-pointer, sophomore Simone Fields (layup) and Washington (three-pointer) pushed the Cajuns in front, 11-9.
With the contest tied at 11-11, Louisiana hit three straight free throws in the final minute to take a 14-11 lead going into the second quarter.
The Cajuns' advantage grew to double-digits at 23-13 at the 6:26 mark, spurred by five points from Washington.
A 10-0 scoring run by the Mavericks over the next 3:19 knotted the score at 23-23. The two teams traded points for the next four possessions until UT Arlington went ahead, 29-27 with 59 seconds left after a pair of free throws from Breck Clark.
Four seconds before the first half buzzer, Veal tied the game on a layup at 29-29.
Ten of Washington's 19 points came in the first two quarters of play, which led all scorers in the game.
In the third quarter with the game tied at 31-31, the Mavericks' Amara Wainwright gave UT Arlington the lead on a three-pointer at the 5:15 mark.
The UT Arlington lead grew to five at 38-33, but a pair of three-pointers from Washington helped the Cajuns pull to within 40-39 with 1:58 to go in the stanza.
After a free throw by Wilridge tied the game at 40-40 with 1:19 to go, UT Arlington's Morgan Hunt splashed a jumper with 49 seconds on the clock, giving the Mavericks a two-point advantage going into the game's final quarter.
The Mavericks' lead extended to 44-40 just 1:08 into the fourth, but the Cajuns came charging back with a jumper from Wilridge and another triple by Washington, pushing the Cajuns in front, 45-44 with 7:49 to play.
The Cajuns and Mavericks traded points for the next four possessions. On the fourth possession, Veal hit a jumper, drew a foul and made the free throw to finish the three-point play.
Leading 50-48, the Cajuns capitalized on a second chance opportunity on a rebound by Fields. Veal hit a three-pointer and was fouled, while a technical foul was issued to the UT Arlington bench. Veal made two free throws to extend UL's lead to 55-48 with 2:04 to go in the game.
UL maintained a three-possession lead the rest of the way and claimed their eighth conference win of the season.
The Cajuns improved to 8-1 at home this season and won their fifth game in the last six tries.
Veal added team-highs in steals (5) and assists (4) to go with her 21 points. Wilridge chipped in nine points, six rebounds (team-high) four steals and three assists.
The Cajuns will wrap up their five-game homestand this Tuesday, Feb. 2 for a 5 p.m. tip-off with ULM at the Cajundome.
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Veal came back from a two-point performance against Texas State last Thursday to register a team-high 21 points, while Washington splashed five three-pointers to finish with a career-high 19 points.
"Taylor coming off the bench and giving us what she did [with the 19 points] was big," Ragin' Cajuns head coach Garry Brodhead said. "We talk all the time about preparing for your opportunities and that's what she did.
Keke practices great, she brings a lot of energy," Brodhead added. "We are a little bit on the smaller side so we have to out-work teams, out-defend teams and continue to believe in one another. We have to keep that mindset to keep improving and working hard."
Three Cajuns seniors, Veal, Kia Wilridge and Brooklyn Arceneaux, each hit buckets in the first 5:22 as the two foes played to a 6-6 draw.
After falling behind, 9-6 after UT Arlington's LaShanda Green splashed a three-pointer, sophomore Simone Fields (layup) and Washington (three-pointer) pushed the Cajuns in front, 11-9.
With the contest tied at 11-11, Louisiana hit three straight free throws in the final minute to take a 14-11 lead going into the second quarter.
The Cajuns' advantage grew to double-digits at 23-13 at the 6:26 mark, spurred by five points from Washington.
A 10-0 scoring run by the Mavericks over the next 3:19 knotted the score at 23-23. The two teams traded points for the next four possessions until UT Arlington went ahead, 29-27 with 59 seconds left after a pair of free throws from Breck Clark.
Four seconds before the first half buzzer, Veal tied the game on a layup at 29-29.
Ten of Washington's 19 points came in the first two quarters of play, which led all scorers in the game.
In the third quarter with the game tied at 31-31, the Mavericks' Amara Wainwright gave UT Arlington the lead on a three-pointer at the 5:15 mark.
The UT Arlington lead grew to five at 38-33, but a pair of three-pointers from Washington helped the Cajuns pull to within 40-39 with 1:58 to go in the stanza.
After a free throw by Wilridge tied the game at 40-40 with 1:19 to go, UT Arlington's Morgan Hunt splashed a jumper with 49 seconds on the clock, giving the Mavericks a two-point advantage going into the game's final quarter.
The Mavericks' lead extended to 44-40 just 1:08 into the fourth, but the Cajuns came charging back with a jumper from Wilridge and another triple by Washington, pushing the Cajuns in front, 45-44 with 7:49 to play.
The Cajuns and Mavericks traded points for the next four possessions. On the fourth possession, Veal hit a jumper, drew a foul and made the free throw to finish the three-point play.
Leading 50-48, the Cajuns capitalized on a second chance opportunity on a rebound by Fields. Veal hit a three-pointer and was fouled, while a technical foul was issued to the UT Arlington bench. Veal made two free throws to extend UL's lead to 55-48 with 2:04 to go in the game.
UL maintained a three-possession lead the rest of the way and claimed their eighth conference win of the season.
The Cajuns improved to 8-1 at home this season and won their fifth game in the last six tries.
Veal added team-highs in steals (5) and assists (4) to go with her 21 points. Wilridge chipped in nine points, six rebounds (team-high) four steals and three assists.
The Cajuns will wrap up their five-game homestand this Tuesday, Feb. 2 for a 5 p.m. tip-off with ULM at the Cajundome.
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Team Stats
UTA
UL
FG%
.600
.442
3FG%
.375
.429
FT%
.778
.760
RB
27
14
TO
25
9
STL
2
10
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
19
FGM
7
3FGM
5
FTM
0
Pts
10
FGM
1
3FGM
0
FTM
8
Pts
9
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
5
Players Mentioned
G/F
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballPG
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