Lady Cajuns Fall in Regular Season Finale at UALR
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns drew a 35-all tie with 2:51 left to play and looked like they might pull off the biggest upset in the Sun Belt Conference this season here Saturday evening at the Jack Stephens Center.
Chastity Reed, who led UALR (24-5, 16-2 Sun Belt) in scoring with 22 points, stepped up and hit a basket with 2:28 left for the go-ahead points in a 39-35 victory for the Trojans in the SBC regular season finale for both teams.
Louisiana (3-26, 0-18 Sun Belt) had a chance at the equalizer or go-ahead basket, but would run into a shot clock violation and the ball went back to UALR. UL got a defensive stop on the ensuing possession, but a turnover by Mercedes Johnson gave the Trojans the ball and Reed hit two free throws with 22 seconds left to create a two-possession game.
Johnson paced Louisiana with 13 points. Alexis Green added 12 to join her in double figures.
UL’s defense kept UALR to 5-of-22 shooting (23 percent) in the second half in almost pulling off the upset.
The teams traded scores in the first five minutes and were tied a 6-all. After a UALR turnover it was Becky Hall feeding the ball to Green for a stop-and-pop jumper on the left elbow which gave UL an 8-6 lead at the 14:38 mark.
The Cajuns defense held UALR to 3-of-11 shooting (27 percent) through the first media timeout (14:06).
The Trojans made their first two baskets out of the media timeout for a 10-8 lead. Green scored four points for the Cajuns that were 24 seconds apart to put the visitors in front 12-10 at 12:14.
The Ragin’ Cajuns were shooting 6-of-11 in the game’s first 8:51, a stat which helped the team into a 12-all tie. The score stayed tied until the 9:14 mark when Johnson made a free throw for UL to take a 13-12 lead.
The Trojans reclaimed the lead at 8:44 when Anshel Cooper made a jumper. Cooper made another basket at 6:21 to increase the UALR lead to 16-13.
Inside of six minutes, baskets on back-to-back possessions put UL on top 17-16 with 5:17 left in the opening half. The Trojans regained the lead on a steal and layup from Reed at 4:15. That bucket was the start of an 8-0 Trojans run to end the first half which led to a 24-17 halftime lead for the hosts.
First half shooting totals weren’t a bright spot for either team. UL shot 8-of-25 (32%) while UALR was 12-of-33 (36%). The Cajuns committed 11 turnovers which led to 14 points for UALR.
Layups by Jasmine Barnes and Johnson pulled the Cajuns within three points, 26-23, with 16:04 remaining. The Trojans kept misfiring and UL remained within three points with 14 minutes left to play.
Louisiana dropped the deficit down to one point when Nicole Morris hit a jumper in the lane at 13:35 to cut the UALR lead to 26-25. Reed answered for UALR with a bucket on the ensuing possession at 13:15 to move the lead back to three points and kick off a six-point run which created a 32-25 lead by the 12:10 mark.
Neither team would score over the next three minutes as defense continued to rule and shooting woes persisted.
Green hit a jumper at 8:58 to make it 32-27. After a UALR miss the Cajuns worked the ball to Lyndra Bell who hit a shot in the right wing at 8:27 to close the deficit to 32-29. Green scored a basket for the Ragin’ Cajuns at 5:51 and it was 32-31.
Johnson hit a leaner in the lane for UL at 3:35 to put the Cajuns up 33-32. After an offensive rebound, Shanika Butler drove baseline for UALR and made a layup as she was fouled with 3:02 left. She made the free throw for a 35-33 advantage.
Johnson drew the Cajuns even at 35-all at 2:51 with a basket, but Reed stepped up and delivered for her team once more.
The Ragin’ Cajuns will now compete in the first round of the 2009 Sun Belt Conference Tournament on Wednesday, March 4. Louisiana will play on the road against an opponent which will be determined following the completion of Sunday’s Sun Belt Conference play
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Re: Lady Cajuns Fall in Regular Season Finale at UALR
Originally Posted by Clutch0364
Re: Lady Cajuns Fall in Regular Season Finale at UALR
