The Book: Lady Cajuns 2007-08 basketball

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LOUISIANA - The Lady Cajuns basketball team will hit the road for a game with Centenary on Saturday, Dec. 1, at the CenturyTel Center in Bossier City, La. The Cajuns will be looking to break their five-game road losing streak against non-conference opponents. The Cajuns (1-4) last won a game against a non-conference came on Nov. 30, 2006 at Texas Southern. UL downed the Lady Tigers 82-48. The Lady Cajuns are 4-0 against the Ladies all-time. In the last meeting between the two schools, UL topped Centenary 67-42 at Earl K. Long Gym on Dec. 1, 2004. Currently seniors Onna Charles (New Iberia, La.), Sonora Edwards (Snook, Texas) and Alicia McDaniel (Houston, Texas) all played double-digit minutes in the game. Edwards posted 13 points and nine rebounds, while Charles added nine points and McDaniel, while not attempting any field goals, did grab a pair of rebounds. The last time the two teams met away from Lafayette, the Cajuns took a 74-60 victory on Dec. 8, 2003. The game was the closest contested of any of the four all-time meetings. The Ragin’ Cajuns enter the game led by a pair of upper classmen. Edwards currently leads the team with 12.0 points per game this season, while adding a team best 7.2 rebounds per game. She is followed closely by junior Whitney Dunlap (Baton Rouge, La.) who boasts an 11.8 average. Senior Elaine McCants (Boston, Mass.) saw her first action on the hardwood in over two years. The transfer, who missed the previous two years following a car crash prior to her first season at UL, scored 10 points off of the bench in 12 minutes of action against Tulane. QUICK HITS 1,000-point watch: Onna Charles and Sonora Edwards both enter the season within sight of 1,000 career points. Charles sits just 76 points shy, while Edwards needs 227 more points to reach the coveted plateau. The Cajuns have 11 players who have scored over 1,000 points in their career. Yolanda Jones (2006-07), who ranks sixth on the list, was the most recent addition to the 1,000-point club scoring 1,090 points in her two-year career with the Cajuns. And the Record Goes To?!?: Alicia McDaniel is 17 games played away from the all-time mark. She sits just nine games shy of tying Monica Fisher (1992-96) for 10th all-time with 106 games. Onna Charles needs one game started to move into a tie for sixth place with Ashley Blanche (2002-2006) at 83 games. Charles needs 67 field goals to crack the career top 10. She currently has 337 baskets in her career. Sonora Edwards, currently seventh, is 464 rebounds away from the all-time Cajuns record. However, she sits 156 rebounds from tying Anna Petrakova (2001-05) for second all-time. She is just 25 boards shy of tying Anne DeMahy (1977-80) for sixth. RaginCajuns.com Chris Whitehead

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Louisiana defeated Centenary College on Saturday afternoon at the CenturyTel Center in Bossier City by a final score of 78-71. UL led for all but the first 83 seconds of the first half and finished the opening 20 minutes with a 37-26 lead. Despite a few close calls, the Lady Cajuns never trailed in the second half. A 12-5 spurt to begin the second half carried the Cajuns lead up to 17 points, 49-32, with 15:49 to play in the game. Sonora Edwards scored three baskets in the paint during the stretch. Following the second media timeout, the Ladies scored seven points in 44 seconds to cut the Cajuns lead under double-digits for the first time in the second stanza. Whitney Dunlap drilled a three-point basket from the top of the arc to get the Cajuns lead to 60-49 at the midway point of the half. It was the first successful three-pointer that Centenary had allowed in the last 25 attempts against the Ladies. A three-point play by Edwards extended the Cajuns lead to 12 points, 63-51, with 8:38 to play. The Ladies then used a 13-3 run over the next 2:53 to diminish the Cajuns lead all the way down to just two points, 66-64. Elaine McCants calmly buried a triple from the wing to provide some breathing room and kick start a 7-0 run. Alicia McDaniel and Edwards each followed with baskets inside to propel the Cajuns to a nine-point edge at the 3:43 mark. Louisiana answered every basket by Centenary the rest of the game to ensure the win. Edwards led the Cajuns with 26 points and 10 rebounds. McDaniel chipped in 15 points, eight boards, six assists, five steals and two blocks. Dunlap was the only other Cajun in double figures with 12 points. UL shot 49.2 percent for the game and won the boards, owning a 44-35 edge. The Ladies were paced by Cierra Bush, who scored 24 points and led all players with 12 rebounds. The Cajuns started quickly, enjoying a 15-2 run to start the contest. After the Ladies scored the games first basket, the Cajuns followed with seven straight buckets to grab a 13-point edge at the 14:47 mark. Edwards had three baskets during the run, while McDaniel scored five points with a jumper and a three-point play. The Ladies countered with a 16-5 burst to cut the Cajuns lead down to two points, 20-18, with 8:58 left in the first half. Coach Rogers immediately called timeout and it helped, as Edwards and Kina Miller scored on back-to-back possessions. Miller then knocked down a pair from the stripe and D’Mya Clay hit a driving lay-up to give the Cajuns back a double-figure lead, 28-18, with 5:52 showing in the first half. Centenary surged back, outscoring their guests 7-1 over the next 1:38, to close within four points. Louisiana was stronger over the final four minutes though, outscoring the hosts 8-1. UL held the Ladies without a field goal over the final 4:13. Lyndra Bell started the Cajuns final charge of the first half with a long jumper. McDaniel buried two from the stripe, before Jasmine Barnes and Bell each added one from the line. McDaniel converted a lay-up with 92 seconds remaining to complete an 8-0 run. The Cajuns will take the week off for finals and then are scheduled to host LSU-Shreveport on Sunday afternoon at Earl K. Long gym. Tip-off is slated for 2pm. RaginCajuns.com

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BOSSIER CITY - It was a lot more difficult than UL's women's basketball team would have wanted, but the Ragin' Cajuns have their first road victory of the season. And they can thank Sonora Edwards and Alicia McDaniel for helping the Cajuns survive the upset bid of Centenary's Ladies here Saturday. Edwards had a career-high 26 points as the big gun in the Cajuns' 78-71 win at the CenturyTel Center, but McDaniel's all-around floor game may have been more valuable. The senior from Houston finished with 15 points, eight rebounds, six assists, five steals and two blocks in 39 floor minutes. "She just makes plays for them," Centenary coach Steve Curtis said. "Every time we'd get within a couple of points, we'd have a breakdown and she'd make a play." McDaniel had a couple of those plays at the five-minute mark, after the Ladies (2-5) had cut what was a 17-point lead down to two at 66-64 on Sarah Weiler's driving jumper. McDaniel found Elaine McCants wide open for a three-pointer with 4:46 showing, and on Centenary's next possession she stepped into a passing late, picked off a steal and raced in for a layup that made it 71-64. The rest of the story Dan McDonald dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

[OLF82]

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Alicia McDaniel is a huge reason for U.L.'s success the past four years. She always seems to come up with the big steal to ignite a rally. Her fire and court presence is an inspiration and the right way to play basketball.

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After scoring a game-high 17 points in a season-opening loss to Mercer, Alicia McDaniel struggled in her next three games, totaling only 11 points on 4-of-17 shooting. She got back on track Saturday against Centenary - and helped the UL women's basketball team do the same. The senior guard was an all-around force in a 78-71 victory, falling just short of a triple-double with 15 points, eight rebounds and six assists. She added five steals and two blocks as the Ragin' Cajuns (2-4) ended a three-game losing skid. "I want that to be a typical game for me," said McDaniel, who ranks in the top three in five categories for UL. "I can get that every game if I play as well as I did in that game. "I'm an all-around player, and I like to contribute in every way on the floor." The rest of the story Joshua Parrott jparrott@theadvertiser.com

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Louisiana’s Ragin' Cajuns cruised to a 63-40 victory over LSU-Shreveport on Sunday afternoon at Earl K. Long Gym. The Lady Cajuns won the game with defense, holding LSU-Shreveport scoreless for an 8:11 span of the first half en route to a 15-point lead at the break. The Lady Pilots shot only 24.1 percent in the opening stanza, making just seven field goals. Louisiana breezed through the second half as tough Cajuns defense held LSU-S to 22.2 percent shooting. The UL lead never dipped below 13 points in the final 20 minutes. The Cajuns shot 39.3 percent for the game and led in rebounding 53-41. Onna Charles saw a season-high 28 minutes, scoring 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting. She is now just 58 points away from 1,000 for her career. Nine other Cajuns hit at least one field goal. Sonora Edwards led all players with 12 rebounds, including six on the offensive glass. The Cajuns long-range shooting showed no signs of a finals-week lay-off, as Whitney Dunlap, Alicia McDaniel and Charles each connected from behind the arc to give UL an early 9-5 lead. McDaniel converted a lay-up courtesy of a back-door pass by Dunlap to extend the home edge to 11-5 at the 16:11 mark. A triple by Elaine McCants propelled the Cajuns lead to 14-7 edge six minutes into the contest. After watching their lead drop down to two points, the Cajuns built it back up to seven, 21-14, at the 8:37 mark. Both teams then ran cold for the next 3:04, until an offensive put-back by Sonora Edwards and a long jumper from the wing by Jasmine Barnes boosted the UL lead to 25-14 with 4:15 remaining in the first half. Valanette Amie and Charles hit lay-ups on consecutive possessions to help the Cajuns’ lead grow to 15 points. A short jumper by Janai Sells with 37 seconds remaining was the last of the half and the first score by the Lady Pilots in over eight minutes. The Cajuns will travel to No. 25 Texas on Dec. 16 before returning home to face Nicholls State on Dec. 18. RaginCajuns.com

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First-year UL women's basketball coach Errol Rogers praised senior Alicia McDaniel for her all-around effort last week in a win over Centenary. Rogers gave senior Onna Charles the glory after Sunday's 63-40 victory over LSU-Shreveport in non-conference action at Earl K. Long Gym. Charles finished with a team-high 14 points in her 68th consecutive start for the Ragin' Cajuns (3-4). Her reverse layup midway through the first half sparked a 17-4 run that gave UL the lead for good against LSUS, an NAIA Division II program. "She picked it up today, especially defensively," Rogers said of Charles, who is 58 points away from 1,000 career points. "We know Onna can score. She can nail shots. But defensively she stepped it up. That was a big part for us." The rest of the story Joshua Parrott jparrott@theadvertiser.com

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AUSTIN, Texas - Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns women’s basketball team takes their two-game winning streak on the road to take on their second ranked opponent of the year. The Cajuns (3-4) will face off against No. 20 Texas at the Frank Erwin Center on Sunday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. The Cajuns enter the game against Texas on the heels of back-to-back victories. UL broke a string of five consecutive non-conference road losses with a 78-71 victory over Centenary. The Cajuns followed with a 63-40 home win over LSU-Shreveport. The Ragin’ Cajuns are 1-2 all-time against the Longhorns. The Cajuns claimed the first game of the series. The two teams squared off in the Sam Houston State Tournament in Huntsville, Texas on Feb. 10, 1973 with the Cajuns taking a 55-39 win. Texas evened the series with an 82-40 victory on Feb. 9, 1979 in Houston, Texas. The two teams met last season in the 2007 Basketball Travelers Classic. Texas, who was ranked No. 25 at the time, didn’t make its first three-point basket until 11:58 left in the game, but the basket made by Tiffany Jackson triggered a 10-0 run which rallied the Longhorns to a 69-59 victory over UL. The Ragin’ Cajuns returned to Austin later in the 2006-07 season as they participated in the school’s first ever NCAA Tournament appearance. The Cajuns dropped an 87-58 decision to No. 21 Marquette. Homecoming: The Ragin’ Cajuns have three players who are returning home to the Lone Star State for the match-up with the Longhorns. Seniors Sonora Edwards and Alicia McDaniel hail from Snook and Houston respectively, while sophomore Ovigwerade Agbuke is a native of San Antonio. Senior Leadership: UL has more seniors than any other school in the Sun Belt. The Cajuns six-pack of seniors Onna Charles (New Iberia, La.), Sonora Edwards (Snook, Texas), Elaine McCants (Boston, Mass.), Alicia McDaniel (Houston, Texas), Kina Miller (Aurora, Ill.) and Courtney Ratliff (Canton, Miss.) have played in a total of 368 games. 1,000-point Watch: Onna Charles (New Iberia, La.) and Sonora Edwards (Snook, Texas) both enter the season within sight of 1,000 career points. Charles sits just 58 points shy, while Edwards needs 197 more points to reach the coveted plateau. There’s No Place Like Home: The Ragin’ Cajuns dropped a home game to in-state foe Tulane on Wednesday, Nov. 28, to snap their 17-game home non-conference winning streak. The Cajuns have still won 18 of their last 19 home non-conference games. Conversely, the Cajuns had lost five consecutive non-conference road games until their 78-71 victory over Centenary on Dec. 1. Prior to the win, the Cajuns last victory on the road against a non-conference opponent came on Nov. 30, 2006 at Texas Southern. UL downed the Lady Tigers 82-48. Records Section: Alicia McDaniel (Houston, Texas) is 15 games played away from the all-time mark. Onna Charles (New Iberia, La.) needs 10 games started to move into a tie for fifth place. Charles needs 59 field goals to crack the career top 10. Sonora Edwards (Snook, Texas), currently seventh, is 134 rebounds from second all-time. Charles sits in the top five in career three-point field goals made, attempted and percentage. RaginCajuns.com Chris Whitehead

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AUSTIN, Texas - Carla Cortijo led Texas' up-tempo offense, scoring 14 points and adding seven assists in the No. 20 Longhorns' 76-43 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette on Sunday. Texas (8-2) struggled to find its shooting rhythm in the first half, but opened the second half with a 21-12 run to build an insurmountable 59-35 lead. Brittainey Raven, who scored in double-figures for the 10th game in a row, had 12 points, six assists and five rebounds as four other Longhorns finished with eight or more points. Cortijo had nine of her points during a 14-3 run in the last 5:34 of the first half. The rest of the story

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Onna Charles and Sonora Edwards both entered the season within sight of 1,000 career points. UL - Lady Cajuns basketball returns home to historic Earl K. Long Gym for their final home game of 2007. The Cajuns (3-5) will play host to Nicholls State (1-7) on Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m. The Cajuns will look to continue their recent success at home. UL dropped a home game to in-state foe Tulane on Wednesday, Nov. 28, to snap their 17-game home non-conference winning streak. Despite the loss, the Cajuns have won 18 of their last 19 home non-conference games. Before the loss to the Green Wave, the Cajuns last home non-conference loss was a 63-50 loss to Memphis on Nov. 25, 2002. The Cajuns are 76-82 (.481) all-time in Long Gym, but have compiled a 32-6 (.842) over the past three years. The meeting between the two teams will be the 49th in the series. The Cajuns hold a 30-18 advantage over the Lady Colonels. The Ragin’ Cajuns have won the last three meetings in the series. The last time the two teams met, UL claimed a 74-62 win on Dec. 21, 2005 at Nicholls State. The Lady Colonels last victory in the series came on Nov. 22, 2002. Offensively, the Ragin’ Cajuns enter the game led by a foursome of upper classmen. Senior Sonora Edwards (Snook, Texas) currently leads the team with 12.0 points per game this season. She is followed closely by junior Whitney Dunlap (Baton Rouge, La.), who boasts a 9.9 average. Onna Charles (New Iberia, La.) and Alicia McDaniel (Houston, Texas) are averaging 9.4 and 8.8 points per game, respectively. Charles and Edwards both entered the season within sight of 1,000 career points. Charles sits just 46 points shy, while Edwards needs 191 more points to reach the coveted plateau. The Cajuns have 11 players who have scored over 1,000 points in their career. Yolanda Jones (2006-07) was the most recent addition to the 1,000-point club scoring 1,090 points in her two-year career with the Cajuns. QUICK HITS Senior Leadership: UL has more seniors than any other school in the Sun Belt. The Cajuns six-pack of seniors Onna Charles (New Iberia, La.), Sonora Edwards (Snook, Texas), Elaine McCants (Boston, Mass.), Alicia McDaniel (Houston, Texas), Kina Miller (Aurora, Ill.) and Courtney Ratliff (Canton, Miss.) have played in a total of 373 games. Records Section: Alicia McDaniel (Houston, Texas) is 14 games played away from the all-time mark. Onna Charles (New Iberia, La.) needs nine games started to move into a tie for fifth place. Charles needs 55 field goals to crack the career top 10. Sonora Edwards (Snook, Texas), currently fourth, is 126 rebounds from second all-time. Charles sits in the top five in career three-point field goals made, attempted and percentage. RginCajuns.com Chris Whitehead

[CajunCherokee]

Excuse my ignorance, but how is this the last home game of the season for the girls? The season just started. Is it their last home game at EKL? With the remaining games at the Dome?

[RaginCajunPie]

No....it's the last game of the year (2007...because it's about to be New Year's), not the last game of the season.