The Book: Lady Cajuns 2006-07 basketball

[CajunKate]

I just finished watching the KATC 10 o'clock news and was shocked to hear of there report on the lack of community (and school) support of the women's basketball going to the NCAA tournament. If you read my comment "I don't mean to complain already but if it were the men..." now you see, I had reason to complain prematurely. I was predicting the obvious. Local businesses have not put up any signs or letters on their marquees congratulating our team on their success. I AM ASHAMED! Not only as a huge, die hard fan, but more (embarassingly) as a student. I took off of work to go watch them and my family and I are waking up at 4 am to go to Austin. But not one business could have put up "Geaux Cajuns" on their sign? So, If J.Kelly Hall leaves next year, don't be suprised. Not only has the state's third largest city brushed him off, but he probably won't be getting a raise after this HISTORIC year either.
DON'T BLAME ME, I'M GOING TO THE GAME!!!!!!!!!!!!

I saw this on the news also. I almost cried! I can't go to the game, but I will be watching it on TV for sure. What's up with no signage of encouragement on campus itself? These girls have made history, and it doesn't seem as if their own university, forget the community even, seems to give a darn. Sad, sad, sad. Where IS the love?

[NewsCopy]

It may not be looking into a mirror, but it's close. UL's women's basketball team is peering through that darkened looking glass in search of NCAA Tournament insight, and in great part they see a reflection. To paraphrase, the Cajuns have found the enemy, and it is them. The similarities between the UL squad and Marquette, its first-round opponent for its first-ever NCAA game, are many heading into Saturday's 1:30 p.m. contest in Austin, Texas. "They're a lot like us," said Cajun junior guard Onna Charles, "so that probably makes things a little easier for us to prepare for. We know a little more about what to expect." Neither team knew much about each other when the brackets were announced Monday night. In fact, many of the Cajun players didn't know who they were playing, such was their excitement at seeing their own name pop up during ESPN's selection show. The rest of the story Dan McDonald dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

[NewsCopy]

UL's Ragin' Cajun women's basketball team has made road trips before, armed with the requisite pillows and iPods to help the time pass more agreeably. They've even played at the University of Texas before, getting to know the UT court and rims in a season-opening tournament there in November. But Thursday's bus ride was unlike any previously taken by the school's women's basketball program - a historic first appearance in the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament. "When I came here, getting the chance to play in the NCAA tournament was definitely one of my goals," sophomore guard Whitney Dunlap said as the Cajuns loaded their gear on the team bus outside Earl K. Long Gym after a morning practice. "I knew we had the potential. The rest of the story Bruce Brown bbrown@theadvertiser.com

[NewsCopy]

LAFAYETTE — Alicia McDaniel admits she was a bit confused when she first saw the home court of University of Louisiana at Lafayette women’s basketball — tiny, 67-year-old Earl K. Long Gym, which seats about 1,110. “It was kind of weird when I saw (Long Gym),” McDaniel said. “I was used to seeing and being in a big gym. I thought it was kind of like high school.” However, it didn’t take McDaniel long to adapt to ULL’s style of basketball. McDaniel’s specialty is defense, something which she says has helped the Lady Cajuns reach the Women’s NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament for the first time in school history. ULL coach J. Kelley Hall said McDaniel is a special player, one that he routinely assigns to defend the opposition’s best player. That will be McDaniel’s job again Saturday when No. 11 ULL meets sixth-seeded Marquette University in a first-round tournament game at the University of Texas’ Frank Erwin Center starting at approximately 1:30 p.m. Two ULL starters, McDaniel and center Sonora Edwards are Texas natives. When she signed with ULL three years ago, McDaniel, a 5-foot-7 junior from Houston, said she knew immediately what she had to do to reach the starting lineup. “Defense is our specialty and it’s always going to be defense before offense for us,” she said. “For me it’s about defense. I think that’s what has gotten us to this tournament — the defense. It’s always something that (Hall) has talked about when he started building this program.” The rest of the story By BOB ARDOIN The Advocate

[NewsCopy]

Although the NCAA tournament success of Marquette's men's team is well-known, the women haven't achieved as much glory in March. This year's Golden Eagles think they might be able to change that. With the highest seeding in its history, Marquette begins tournament play Saturday with a first-round matchup against Louisiana-Lafayette in Austin, Texas. While the Marquette men have reached three Final Fours in their history - including winning the 1977 national championship - the women have only advanced past the first round twice in seven previous tournament appearances. The Golden Eagles (25-6) defeated Clemson in 1997, and Old Dominion in 2004, but were eliminated in the second round each time. This year, Marquette could be primed for a longer run. Led by sophomore point guard Krystal Ellis and her 18.2 points per game, the Golden Eagles lost consecutive games just once all season and earned the No. 6 seed in the Dayton Regional. ``It's been a history making year for this team and the higher seed you have the better your chances of succeeding and winning are,'' said Marquette's Terri Mitchell, the Big East coach of the year. ``I think we are in great shape. We are happy with where we are.'' Although the Golden Eagles have not played in the NCAA tournament since 2004, their four highest scorers after Ellis are all seniors who were on that team. Christina Quaye, Danielle Kamm, Jasmine McCullough and Efueko Osagie-Landry all play integral roles, each averaging more than 20 minutes per game. The rest of the story By MATT BROWN STATS Editor

[Zeebart21]

I saw this on the news also. I almost cried! I can't go to the game, but I will be watching it on TV for sure. What's up with no signage of encouragement on campus itself? These girls have made history, and it doesn't seem as if their own university, forget the community even, seems to give a darn. Sad, sad, sad. Where IS the love?

Geeze, that is pretty crap.py. Anyone remember when the softball team use to play on the intramural fields? Its where all the limestone is now in the parking area. 1 or 2 pick up trucks would be out there, a few folks watching the game. Look where softball is now! With the Halls at the helm, the Women will soon achieve that same status. With aplogies to Justin Wilson...... I garoooooontee!!!

The Cajun womens basketball team will be fine.

Everyone heading up to Austin have a safe trip. Eat lots of Barbeque!

Z.

[VObserver]

I saw this on the news also. I almost cried! I can't go to the game, but I will be watching it on TV for sure. What's up with no signage of encouragement on campus itself? These girls have made history, and it doesn't seem as if their own university, forget the community even, seems to give a darn. Sad, sad, sad. Where IS the love?

Sadly, most people just don't care. Some don't care because it's the Cajuns, but most don't care because they don't think girls can play well enough for them to bother watching.

I know when I tell people that if they want to see basketball played the way it is supposed to be played, they need to watch the WNBA, they tell me I am nuts. Well, I may be nuts, but that's not the reason. The women's game is better basketball in every respect save one than the men's game. That one is athleticism, which in my opinion is over-rewarded in the men's game by officials who overlook way too many fouls and violations because they are impressed with a player's athleticism.

But back to the real issue here. WHERE ARE THE MARKETING AND PROMOTION???? This is an historic achievement for the University and there is NO promotion on campus or in the city? Heads should roll for this.

[JamesTheJeweler]

i, personally could care less about womens basketball. i will probably never attend a womens basketball game. i do, however go to MANY mens basketball, football, and baseball games. BUT, for the university to do such a ____-poor job of marketing its athletics is mind-boggling! athletics will never rise to the place we want it until the people at the top get a vision for it. and i hate to say it but the HMFIC ain't got it! THAT DINOSAUR HAS TO GO!and before anyone hammers me for not going to womens games, i only have so much time and resources. i chose to attend the games i enjoy watching. novel idea. so before i catch the third degree from the PC (politically correct) nazis, i attend nearly all home games for mens b-ball, baseball, and football, and the occasional away game. i hate it when people try to paint you as a biggoted chauvanist if you don't go to womens sports! sorry, i just don't bow to the PC nazis! if people want to go and enjoy them, more power to 'em. just don't feed me that bull about not supporting the university as a whole or whatever.

[CajunKahouna]

i, personally could care less about womens basketball. i will probably never attend a womens basketball game. i do, however go to MANY mens basketball, football, and baseball games. BUT, for the university to do such a ____-poor job of marketing its athletics is mind-boggling! athletics will never rise to the place we want it until the people at the top get a vision for it. and i hate to say it but the HMFIC ain't got it! THAT DINOSAUR HAS TO GO!and before anyone hammers me for not going to womens games, i only have so much time and resources. i chose to attend the games i enjoy watching. novel idea. so before i catch the third degree from the PC (politically correct) nazis, i attend nearly all home games for mens b-ball, baseball, and football, and the occasional away game. i hate it when people try to paint you as a biggoted chauvanist if you don't go to womens sports! sorry, i just don't bow to the PC nazis! if people want to go and enjoy them, more power to 'em. just don't feed me that bull about not supporting the university as a whole or whatever.

Ditto. Now the both of us are on BoP's $h_T list.

[Cajun Express]

i, personally could care less about womens basketball. i will probably never attend a womens basketball game. i do, however go to MANY mens basketball, football, and baseball games. BUT, for the university to do such a ____-poor job of marketing its athletics is mind-boggling! athletics will never rise to the place we want it until the people at the top get a vision for it. and i hate to say it but the HMFIC ain't got it! THAT DINOSAUR HAS TO GO!and before anyone hammers me for not going to womens games, i only have so much time and resources. i chose to attend the games i enjoy watching. novel idea. so before i catch the third degree from the PC (politically correct) nazis, i attend nearly all home games for mens b-ball, baseball, and football, and the occasional away game. i hate it when people try to paint you as a biggoted chauvanist if you don't go to womens sports! sorry, i just don't bow to the PC nazis! if people want to go and enjoy them, more power to 'em. just don't feed me that bull about not supporting the university as a whole or whatever.

No problem, everyone should do what they enjoy, as long as they do something without being critical of others. We have many who are critical and do nothing.

The university dropped the ball on this and should be put in the dunce corner. It is not your job to support everything UL, but it is theirs.