Lady Cajuns Open 2009-10 Season With A Win

[NewsCopy]

  Despite trailing for nearly 38 minutes, Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns women's basketball team was able to bounce back in the second half and open the 2009-10 season with a 64-57 win over Texas Southern. Saturday's season-opening win at the Cajundome was the first for UL since the 2006-07 season.

Turnovers plagued the Cajuns as Texas Southern opened the game with an 13-2 run. Six turnovers by UL led to five points for the Tigers in the opening minutes.

At the 5:29 mark the Cajuns were able to close the gap to 21-18 after freshman Jamie Gunter provided a spark off the bench scoring, nine points in six minutes.

But the Tigers closed out the half with a 13-4 run to take a 34-22 lead into halftime.

The Cajuns came out in the second half, chipping away at Texas Southern's lead. The Cajuns had their own run of 13-4 to close the gap, trailing 35-38 at the 15:00 minute mark.

At the 6:08 mark, Lyndra Bell made a layup bringing the Cajuns to within one point, 51-52.

Alexis Green hit a jumper with 2:06 left in the game to give the Cajuns their first lead of the contest at 57-56. The lead widen to 60-57 after Jasmine Barnes was able to score a fast-break layup with 1:11 remaining. Mercedes Johnson connected on two free throws with :33 seconds left to seal the win for Louisiana. A final pair of free throws by Green was able to give UL the 64-57 victory.

Johnson led UL with 18 points and six rebounds. Green also recoded double-digit points with 10 points and six boards. Three other Cajuns had nine points each with Becky Hall going 3-for-4 from three-point range.

NaDosha Strickland led a trio of Tigers in double-figures with 16 points.

Though they struggled early on, the Cajuns won the turnover battle 17-21 but lost out on the boards, 30-39.

The Cajuns will return to the hardwood on Monday with an exhibition game against LSU-Shreveport. First tip is set for 5 p.m. CT.

UL SI

[Boomer]

Hey VOB were you at the game????

[BeauCajun]

_ Hey VOB were you at the game???? _

Undefeated Boomer. LOL

[LSUConnMan]

I found it interesting today that the closest thread on this board that reflected positive sentiments were some complaints about the basketball team only winning by 22, and not a single mention of the girls' buzzer beater...but I guess it makes sense.

[CajunAmos]

I watched the last 10 minutes or so of the game and they played with a lot of energy. Like all games, they had some good and bad, but they D'd up at the end of the game and pressued the opponent into a few turnovers including the one that led to the layup at the buzzer for the win. I have to say it's early, and we haven't reached the better teams or conference games as yet, but I'm somewhat encouraged. I look at it as a work in progress, with last year as the baseline. Baby steps.

[VObserver]

_ I watched the last 10 minutes or so of the game and they played with a lot of energy. Like all games, they had some good and bad, but they D'd up at the end of the game and pressued the opponent into a few turnovers including the one that led to the layup at the buzzer for the win. I have to say it's early, and we haven't reached the better teams or conference games as yet, but I'm somewhat encouraged. I look at it as a work in progress, with last year as the baseline. Baby steps. _

A layup at the buzzer to beat a D III team at your own house is not progress. We beat them by 1 last year, too. The win over Texas Southern at home avenged a road loss to them last year. Whoopie!

Look for another year of ofer the Conference.

[Parrott]

Not sure why anyone would be happy beating a NAIA team at the buzzer - in an exhibition game. Guess it's better than losing.

igeaux.mobi

[CajunAmos]

I wasn't happy with the hire, and definitely wasn't happy with last years performance. That being said, when we kept the coach for this year I'm looking for gradual improvements in performance. From what I saw last year, we didn't have much luck coming back on teams at the end of the game, which we did on Monday. No, I'm not happy its an NAIA team, but I'm happier than I would have been losing to an NAIA team. I saw a number of new players on the floor, and I'd like to give them the benefit of the doubt at the start of the season. Like I said in an earlier post, and from what I saw last year, baby steps.

[BayouBaller]

Agreed. Liked the end of the LSU-S game and the young kids.

[VObserver]

_ Agreed. Liked the end of the LSU-S game and the young kids. _

A point about Rogers and talent. Everywhere he has coached he has had players with enough talent to play at least fairly well for the level. Problem is, he hasn't ever been able to beat anyone of substance with them. Check his record as HC at OCHS. You'll see a couple of 20 win seasons, but you won't see deep playoff runs, and you won't see wins over quality girls' programs in the area [STM, Teurlings, Iota, Notre Dame, Vermilion Catholic, Abbeville, North Vermilion, etc.] What you will see is a bunch of wins over schools who have never had any quality teams, or over schools like Westminister, Port Barre, Delcambre, etc. in their down years.

[BayouBaller]

_ Problem is, he hasn't ever been able to beat anyone of substance with them.

Why?

[VObserver]

Because he can't coach.

He does not understand the basic concept of running a system that fits the talents of your players, rather than trying to force players into a system that they don't have the skill set to play. That's VERY important in high school, where the talent pool is limited. It is also important at a place like UL, because we can't get 4 and 5 star talent here.

If you are UConn or Tennessee, you can recruit players to your system. If you are UL, you'd better be able to coach a variety of styles, dependent on which players you have been able to recruit here.

Rogers can't.

Hall can.