The Book: Lady Cajuns 2006-07 basketball

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AUSTIN, Texas - UL's women's basketball team picked a bad time for one of its most atrocious shooting performances of the season. But Ragin' Cajun coach J. Kelley Hall gave Marquette a lot of credit for his team shooting less than 33 percent from the floor - and for doing a lot of other things very well in the Golden Eagles' 87-58 NCAA Tournament victory Saturday afternoon. Including, apparently, some of the Cajuns' own medicine. "I know how tough the match-up can be when you're playing it at a high level," Hall said after his team's disappointing performance in its first postseason appearance. "They (Marquette) did what we've been able to do to a lot of people." The rest of the story Dan McDonald dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

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AUSTIN, Texas - UL's participation in the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship was much shorter than the Ragin' Cajuns had hoped. The Cajuns fell behind by as many as 23 points in Saturday's first 12 minutes, and Marquette's 22nd-ranked Golden Eagles never looked back in topping UL 87-58 in their first-round game at the University of Texas' Frank Erwin Center. UL, finishing its best season at 25-9, was making its first-ever postseason appearance in Saturday's game, and it showed as Marquette held the Cajuns to a 24.2 percent shooting mark in the first half. "I don't think it was nervousness," said senior guard Jeanenne Colbert, who led the Cajuns with 17 points. "We just missed our shots." The rest of the story Dan McDonald dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

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AUSTIN, Texas — Senior Yolanda Jones, the leading scorer for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette women’s basketball team, was reduced to an innocent bystander for the final 10 minutes of her career. By that time she had already fouled out with her team trailing by 25 points. “Really you have to take this for what it is,” Jones said. “This team came from dirt. Nobody thought we’d make it here. I’m sad for the loss but I’m happy to have a chance to be here.” No. 6 Marquette ended Jones’ career with 87-58 first-round victory Saturday before 3,947 at the University of Texas’ Frank Erwin Center in the NCAA tournament. For Jones, one of the centerpieces along with point guard Jeanenne Colbert in the resurgence of UL-Lafayette’s 36-year program, the Cajuns first NCAA trip ended too quickly. “It was difficult,” said UL-Lafayette reserve guard and Baton Rouge native Whitney Dunlap, who scored five points. “Toward the end our spirits were down, though we tried to keep our heads up.” The rest of the story By WILLIAM WEATHERS Advocate sportswriter

[Zeebart21]

"At one point, I turned to (co-head coach) Meredith (Hall) and (assistant coach James) "Wooly" (Hatchell) and said I don't think we can coach," Hall said. "There's too much to fix.">>>>

LOL!! Dont worry guys, you can fix it. Congrats on a great season.

Z.

[Just1More]

I am very proud of our women's basketball team. What an awesome year. This team has paved the way for many more to come. Great year ladies!

[Cajunpride101]

This was a great year of Lady Cajun basketball and women's basketball in the Sunbelt overall.

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AUSTIN, Texas - Not many first-time teams had success on the first day of the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship. In fact, none of the teams making an inaugural NCAA appearance won on Saturday. That wasn't much consolation for UL coach J. Kelley Hall, whose team wound up on the bad end of an 87-58 loss to Marquette in a first-round contest Saturday afternoon at Texas' Frank Erwin Center. "I don't think it was nerves," Hall said of his team's performance in its Dayton Regional opener. "That's a competitive bunch, and they were embarrassed about their play." It was a disappointing ending to the best season in the program's history, one in which UL set school records for overall wins, road wins and Sun Belt Conference wins on the way to a 25-9 final record. UL also won the Sun Belt's Western Division for the second time in three seasons and reached the finals of the league tournament before losing 77-67 to the nation's hottest team in Middle Tennessee (27 straight wins after its Saturday 85-46 win over Gonzaga in Palo Alto, Calif.). The rest of the story Dan McDonald dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

[headragincajun]

This was a great year of Lady Cajun basketball and women's basketball in the Sunbelt overall.

Coaches Hall would like to thank everyone for all the support this year. I think we will all agree that the team did as well as they could this year. This team was special. This team had heart.This team was not afraid to compete.

We did not finish like we wanted to. If you look back and see where we started and where we finished it was a good ride. It was fun and interesting and it tested each and everyone of us at times. I would not trade this team for any other. This team was unique in it's own way. Everytime we took a step back we went 5 steps forward. This team had to learn the hard way to trust each other and they did (in the end).

What a nice reward for this team. They deserved the trip to Austin and they will remember it for the rest of their lives. From Meredith and I, it was an honor and a priviledge to coach this Ragin Cajun Women's Basketball team.
I can promise you this, "We Will Be Back" sooner than later. Thanks again for all the positive words on this site.Some people get it and some don't. We love the Die-Hards, they are the true fans. SPECIAL THANKS TO EVERYBODY WHO DROVE OVER TO AUSTIN. Our players did take notice and felt appreciated.
Headragincajun1

[RaginFan2]

Coaches Hall would like to thank everyone for all the support this year. I think we will all agree that the team did as well as they could this year. This team was special. This team had heart.This team was not afraid to compete.

We did not finish like we wanted to. If you look back and see where we started and where we finished it was a good ride. It was fun and interesting and it tested each and everyone of us at times. I would not trade this team for any other. This team was unique in it's own way. Everytime we took a step back we went 5 steps forward. This team had to learn the hard way to trust each other and they did (in the end).

What a nice reward for this team. They deserved the trip to Austin and they will remember it for the rest of their lives. From Meredith and I, it was an honor and a priviledge to coach this Ragin Cajun Women's Basketball team.
I can promise you this, "We Will Be Back" sooner than later. Thanks again for all the positive words on this site.Some people get it and some don't. We love the Die-Hards, they are the true fans. SPECIAL THANKS TO EVERYBODY WHO DROVE OVER TO AUSTIN. Our players did take notice and felt appreciated.
Headragincajun1

Congratulations, Coach! You, Meredith, & staff have done a miraculous job. The depths the program was mired in for so long made it seem like it was not possible to reach the NCAAs for our program. You all have changed that mind-set and have made all Ragin' Cajun fans proud! Thanks so much! Best of luck next season in taking another step forward.

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LOUISIANA La. - Lady Cajuns standout Yolanda Jones has been invited to participate in the 2007 WNBA Pre-Draft Camp at Cleveland State University on March 30-31. Coaches and general managers from all 13 WNBA teams will evaluate the 51 invitees leading up to the 2007 WNBA Draft presented by Adidas set to take place in Cleveland on April 4. Cajuns head coach J. Kelley Hall will accompany Jones to Cleveland. The on-court component of the 2007 WNBA Pre-Draft Camp will begin on Friday, March 30, at 9:00 a.m., and will include drills and scrimmages. While media may attend the last 30 minutes of each on-court session, players, coaches and general managers will be available for interviews on the court on Friday, March 30 from 11:30 a.m. – noon ET. Additional interviews may be scheduled upon request by contacting Karen Kase of the WNBA Communications Department (212-407-8022 or kkase@nba.com). Jones, sixth all-time in scoring and fifth all-time in career rebounds, will attempt to become the second Ragin’ Cajuns women’s basketball player to compete in the WNBA. Former Cajuns legend, and the late, Kim Perrot led the Houston Comets to the first two league titles in 1997 & 1998. Perrot joined the Comets as an un-drafted developmental player after a tryout for coach Van Chancellor. Ironically, Chancellor, an ESPN television color analyst, called Jones’ last collegiate game in the NCAA tournament. The 2007 WNBA Draft presented by Adidas will begin at 1 p.m. ET at the Renaissance Hotel in Cleveland. ESPN2 will provide exclusive first round coverage of the Draft with continued coverage of the second and third rounds on ESPNU and NBA TV. In addition, WNBA.com will cover all three rounds, providing complete analysis and comprehensive information on all 13 teams’ selections. The 2007 Pre-Draft schedule follows: 2007 WNBA PRE-DRAFT CAMP SCHEDULE (all times local) Cleveland State University Woodling Gym Euclid Avenue and 24th Street Friday, March 30 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 p.m. Session 1 (last 30 minutes open to media) 11:30 p.m. – 12:00 p.m. Media Availability 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Session 2 (last 30 minutes open to media) Saturday, March 31 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Session 3 (last 30 minutes open to media) LOUISIANA SI