University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
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Mississippi College
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Louisiana Earns 58-47 Win Over Mississippi College in Final Exhibition
11/5/2021 9:30:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Women’s Basketball tips off regular season on Tuesday, Nov. 9, against Texas A&M-Kingsville
LAFAYETTE – Louisiana Women's Basketball overcame a late fourth-quarter surge from the visiting Mississippi College Lady Choctaws to lock up a 58-47 win in its final exhibition game on Friday night.
Leading 44-28 entering the fourth quarter, the visitors outscored the Ragin' Cajuns, 19-14, with the help of timely free throw shooting, but it was not enough to overcome the deficit Louisiana had built behind a 49 percent (23-for-47) shooting performance on the night.
Nine of the 12 Cajuns that appeared in the contest scored, led by a 10-point effort from sophomore Makayia Hallmon. Lanay Wheaton added nine points, while Brandi Williams, getting her first action of the year, contributed eight.
Defensively, Louisiana could not have asked for a better start to the game, holding Mississippi College to just six first-half points to own a 12-6 advantage through the first 10 minutes. Hallmon led the way in the period with four points.
The offense found its groove in the second quarter and took a 22-8 lead 4:02 in when Alicia Blanton capitalized on a turnover and score on the fast break. Louisiana finished the first half shooting 56.0 percent (14-for-25) from the floor and took a 29-16 lead into the locker room.
Williams stole the momentum halfway through the third quarter, drawing a foul while watching her 3-pointer fall and then converting the ensuing free throw to put her team ahead, 40-21.
Both offenses continued to trade buckets until Blanton drove to the hoops and dropped in a layup with 30 seconds remaining to push the lead to 44-28.
Wheaton gave Louisiana a commanding 51-31 lead with 6:57 showing on the clock, but Mississippi College answered with a string of baskets to pull within 54-46 with 2:32 to play. The team locked in down the stretch and used a Caira Wren bucket to push the lead back to double digits and secure the 58-47 win.
Louisiana opens the 2021-22 regular season on Tuesday, Nov. 9, when it welcomes Texas A&M-Kingsville to the CAJUNDOME. Tipoff is slated for 5 p.m. and will be available to stream live on ESPN+.
Women's Basketball season and single-game tickets are on sale now. For more information on Women's Basketball tickets, fans can call the Louisiana Athletics Ticket Office at (337) 265-2170.
Follow the Ragin' Cajuns on Twitter (@RaginCajunsWBB), Facebook (Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns) or Instagram (@RaginCajunsWBB) to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Louisiana Women's Basketball.
