Cajuns Women Launch 2023-24 Hoops Season Monday Night at Cajundome

LAFAYETTE – The 2023-24 season officially tips off for the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Women's Basketball team on Monday, November 6 in a 5:00 p.m. contest with Spring Hill College at the Cajundome. The matchup kicks off the 12th season of the Garry Brodhead era and the 53rd season overall in program history.

The Ragin' Cajuns-Badgers contest is the first half of a doubleheader with the Louisiana men's squad.

Admission to Monday's game – and all UL Women's Basketball games throughout the entire season – is free and open to the public. Fans are encouraged to Wear White.

The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ and can be heard in the Acadiana region on 103.3 FM and 1420 AM and worldwide on the Varsity Network.

Louisiana (16-15, 10-8 Sun Belt in 2022-23) is making its first public appearance of the season, having yet to play an exhibition contest.

The Cajuns, coming off a fourth consecutive winning season both overall and in conference play, return their leading scorer Lanay Wheaton (12.3 ppg), leading rebounder Tamera Johnson (7.3 rpg), are regaining the services of 1,000-point scorer Brandi Williams and are set to be directed by third-year starting point guard Destiny Rice who is coming off a second straight season of 50-plus assists and 200-plus points.

Spring Hill (3-24, 2-17 SIAC in 2022-23) is entering its first season under the direction of head coach Dan Presel who spent the previous 10 seasons working in the Sun Belt Conference on Terry Fowler's staff at South Alabama.

Louisiana and Spring Hill meet for the second straight season and third time overall in the past five seasons – although Monday's matchup is the first-ever regular season contest. Last season's 77-33 Cajuns victory, plus a 2019-20 meeting, came in an exhibition setting.

GAME INFORMATION
LOUISIANA (0-0, 0-0 SBC) vs. SPRING HILL (0-0, 0-0 SIAC)
Date / Time: Monday, November 6, 2023 / 5:00 p.m. (CST)
Site: Lafayette, La.
Arena: Cajundome (12,362)

RADIO/TV
Radio: The GOAT 103.3 FM/1420 AM
Talent: Dawson Eiserloh (PxP)
TV: ESPN+
Talent: Dan McDonald (PxP); Eric Mouton (analyst)

LIVE STATS/SOCIAL MEDIA
Live Stats: CajunStats.com
Twitter Updates: @RaginCajunsWBB | #GeauxCajuns

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: First Meeting*
In Lafayette: First Meeting*
Streak: n/a
*first regular season meeting (played exhibition games in 2019-20 and 2022-23)

Series Notables
- Officially the first-ever regular season game between the two programs.
- Met twice previously in an exhibition setting for Louisiana in the 2019-20 and 2022-23 seasons.
- UL claimed both exhibition contests by 35-plus points; average margin of victory was 40 points.
- Cajuns defense held the Badgers below 50 points both times.
- Louisiana has 10 team members who played in the November 2022 exhibition game.

STORY LINES
• Louisiana Women's Basketball launches the 53rd season in program history on Monday, November 6 hosting Spring Hill College at the Cajundome.
• Monday's contest marks the start of the 12th season of the Garry Brodhead era.
• The matchup marks the first-ever regular season contest between the Ragin' Cajuns and Badgers. The programs previously met in an exhibition setting in the 2019-20 and 2022-23 seasons.
• It's the first public appearance of the season for the Ragin' Cajuns, who have not yet played any exhibition contests.
• Louisiana seeks a third consecutive season-opening victory. The Cajuns won their season opener in nine of the previous 11 seasons under Garry Brodhead's direction.
• The Ragin' Cajuns begin the season playing nine of the first 10 games within the state's borders through New Year's Day – all but three of the contests being played at the Cajundome.
• UL is set to play three games during the opening week of the season, visiting Auburn on Thursday (Nov. 9) and returning to the Cajundome on Sunday (Nov. 12) to meet Kent State in the MAC-SBC Challenge.
• Louisiana in one win shy of the 100th victory at Cajundome in the Garry Brodhead era (currently 99-50).

QUICK HITS
• UL returns four of five starters from the 2022-23 squad including All-Sun Belt performer Lanay Wheaton.
• Lanay Wheaton was selected as a second team member on the 2023-24 Preseason All-Sun Belt team – her second straight preseason nod.
• Louisiana was picked sixth (6th) in the Sun Belt's preseason coaches poll. Last season, the Cajuns were a mere three games shy of a conference championship.
• The Ragin' Cajuns return their top two leading scorers, the duo of Lanay Wheaton (12.3 ppg) and Tamera Johnson (11.3), as well as the top rebounder in Johnson (7.3 rpg).
• UL is expecting an added boost on offense, with the much anticipated return of 1,000-point career scorer, and three-point threat, Brandi Williams (missed all but four games the past two seasons with injury).
• Senior Destiny Rice enters her third season as the starting point guard. Rice tallied 50-plus assists and 200-plus points the previous two seasons and is UL's top free throw shooter (147 makes at 72 percent).
• Head coach Garry Brodhead, the lone coach in program history to reach 100 wins, enters the 2023-24 season 15 wins shy of 200 wins with Louisiana.

UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
Louisiana continues its busy season-opening week traveling to Auburn, Alabama where they'll face the host-Tigers on Thursday, November 9 in a 7:00 p.m. game from Neville Arena on the AU campus. Live coverage will be available on SEC Network Plus (via WatchESPN) and The GOAT 103.3 FM/1420 AM.

Following the trip to Auburn, the Cajuns return home to face Kent State in the MAC-SBC Challenge on Sunday, November 12 at 4:00 p.m. inside the Cajundome.

FOLLOW THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
Follow the Ragin' Cajuns on Twitter (@RaginCajunsWBB), Facebook (/RaginCajunsWBB) or Instagram (@RaginCajunsWBB) to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Louisiana Women's Basketball.

Fans are also encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin' Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here for iOS/Apple platforms and here for Android platforms.

- www.RaginCajuns.com -

Cajuns Women Launch 2023-24 Hoops Season Monday Night at Cajundome

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Players Mentioned

Tamera Johnson

Destiny Rice

Lanay Wheaton

Brandi Williams

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