University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Thursday, January 4
Norfolk, Va.
5:30 p.m. (CST)
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
5-6,1-1Sun Belt
66
at
61
Old Dominion
9-3,1-1Sun Belt
1
2
3
4
F
Louisiana
7
21
17
21
66
Old Dominion
18
11
14
18
61
Cajuns Switch Gears in Second Quarter, Top ODU in Road Trip Opener
1/4/2024 8:42:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Louisiana produced two 20-point efforts over the final three quarters
NORFOLK, Va. – Starting with a 14-0 run powered by four treys to open the second quarter the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Women's Basketball team gained its footing and went on to capture a crucial road win in Sun Belt Conference play, topping Old Dominion 66-61 on Thursday, January 4 at Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Virginia.
The take-charge moment for Louisiana (5-6, 1-1 SBC) erased any momentum that ODU (9-3, 1-1 SBC) had gained in jumping out to an 18-7 lead over the first 10 minutes of play.
Tamera Johnson, who scored a season-high 20 points in her return from a brief two-game absence, drained a three-pointer at 5:37 of the second quarter to complete the comeback, giving the Ragin' Cajuns their first lead at 21-18.
It would be a back-and-forth battle with the lead swapping hands eight times until the waning moments of the third quarter, when a pair of three-point plays first from Jaylyn James and Ashlyn Jones assured the Cajuns a 45-43 lead heading into the final quarter.
The Monarchs briefly tied the score early in the fourth quarter before baskets from Uniyah Franklin and Johnson on back-to-back possessions opened a two-possession lead for Louisiana, at 49-45, with 7:33 left to play.
The Cajuns defense held ODU without a field goal make from 6:04 through 3:21 after a Jenny Nkem Womsi basket made it 49-47, growing the lead to its largest at the time with a 55-48 margin following Franklin's second basket of the fourth at 3:43.
James took charge for UL in the second half, scoring 13 of her career-high 16 points after the halftime break. It was her hustle rebound off a missed free throw at 1:16 that drew an ODU foul and led to her making two free throws that expanded the lead back out to seven points at 60-53.
Jones collected the Cajuns' biggest rebound of the night with 31 seconds remaining. She hauled in a clutch defensive rebound after a second consecutive missed free throw by the Monarchs' En'dya Buford and the Cajuns holding a 63-58 edge.
From there, Louisiana secured the road victory from the free throw line finishing with James completing her 5-for-5 performance from the stripe with two makes that upped the lead to 66-58 with 10 seconds showing.
The victory gets the Cajuns off to a 1-0 start on its new year-opening, four-game road trip. Louisiana defeated ODU for the second straight season since the Monarchs rejoined the SBC and came away victorious in its first visit to Norfolk and the Chartway Arena.
The 66 points scored by the Cajuns marked just the fourth time in 12 games that ODU, the SBC's leader in scoring defense, yielded 60-plus points this season.
UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
The Ragin' Cajuns close out the first leg of their new year-opening, four-game road trip on Saturday, January 6 taking on James Madison in a 12:00 p.m. (CST) contest at the Atlantic Union Bank Center in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
The contest marks a return visit for Louisiana to Harrisonburg, having matched up with JMU last February at the Atlantic Union Bank Center in the then first-ever SBC contest between the two programs.
Live video coverage is available on ESPN+ while the game can be heard in the Acadiana region on The GOAT 103.3 FM and 1420 AM and worldwide on the Varsity Network.
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.
The take-charge moment for Louisiana (5-6, 1-1 SBC) erased any momentum that ODU (9-3, 1-1 SBC) had gained in jumping out to an 18-7 lead over the first 10 minutes of play.
Tamera Johnson, who scored a season-high 20 points in her return from a brief two-game absence, drained a three-pointer at 5:37 of the second quarter to complete the comeback, giving the Ragin' Cajuns their first lead at 21-18.
It would be a back-and-forth battle with the lead swapping hands eight times until the waning moments of the third quarter, when a pair of three-point plays first from Jaylyn James and Ashlyn Jones assured the Cajuns a 45-43 lead heading into the final quarter.
The Monarchs briefly tied the score early in the fourth quarter before baskets from Uniyah Franklin and Johnson on back-to-back possessions opened a two-possession lead for Louisiana, at 49-45, with 7:33 left to play.
The Cajuns defense held ODU without a field goal make from 6:04 through 3:21 after a Jenny Nkem Womsi basket made it 49-47, growing the lead to its largest at the time with a 55-48 margin following Franklin's second basket of the fourth at 3:43.
James took charge for UL in the second half, scoring 13 of her career-high 16 points after the halftime break. It was her hustle rebound off a missed free throw at 1:16 that drew an ODU foul and led to her making two free throws that expanded the lead back out to seven points at 60-53.
Jones collected the Cajuns' biggest rebound of the night with 31 seconds remaining. She hauled in a clutch defensive rebound after a second consecutive missed free throw by the Monarchs' En'dya Buford and the Cajuns holding a 63-58 edge.
From there, Louisiana secured the road victory from the free throw line finishing with James completing her 5-for-5 performance from the stripe with two makes that upped the lead to 66-58 with 10 seconds showing.
The victory gets the Cajuns off to a 1-0 start on its new year-opening, four-game road trip. Louisiana defeated ODU for the second straight season since the Monarchs rejoined the SBC and came away victorious in its first visit to Norfolk and the Chartway Arena.
The 66 points scored by the Cajuns marked just the fourth time in 12 games that ODU, the SBC's leader in scoring defense, yielded 60-plus points this season.
UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
The Ragin' Cajuns close out the first leg of their new year-opening, four-game road trip on Saturday, January 6 taking on James Madison in a 12:00 p.m. (CST) contest at the Atlantic Union Bank Center in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
The contest marks a return visit for Louisiana to Harrisonburg, having matched up with JMU last February at the Atlantic Union Bank Center in the then first-ever SBC contest between the two programs.
Live video coverage is available on ESPN+ while the game can be heard in the Acadiana region on The GOAT 103.3 FM and 1420 AM and worldwide on the Varsity Network.
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 -
Team Stats
LA
ODU
FG%
.477
.411
3FG%
.429
.227
FT%
.692
.667
RB
30
32
TO
16
14
STL
8
8
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
20
FGM
8
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Pts
16
FGM
4
3FGM
3
FTM
5
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
6
FGM
1
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
F
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