Cajuns Drops Heartbreaker to USM in OT
The University of Louisiana women's basketball team battled until the end, but Southern Miss used a strong second half to edge the Ragin' Cajuns, 76-73, in overtime in the opening game of the 22nd annual Lady Eagle Thanksgiving Classic at Reed Green Coliseum in Hattiesburg, Miss.
Louisiana (1-3) led by as many as 17 in the first half, but Southern Miss (3-1) outscored the Cajuns 37-25 in the second half to force an overtime period. The Lady Eagles started out on a 13-0 run to begin the second half. USM added seven free throws in the OT period to stave off the Ragin' Cajuns.
UL knocked down 37 percent of their shots, compared to 41 percent for USM. UL won the rebounds column, pulling down 52 compared to the Lady Eagles' 49. Both teams hit five treys each, while UL edged USM from the free throw line, 14-13.
In the final stages of regulation, Southern Miss forced a turnover and a Rachel Vigers jumper gave the Lady Eagles a 60-58 lead with less than two minutes remaining.
With twenty seconds left in regulation, Danyell Oliver stole a pass and ran down the lane, hitting a layup to tie the game with 15 seconds remaining. She drained the plus-one to give UL a 61-60 lead.
Southern Miss center Geneshia Dunbar was fouled during a shot attempt. She drained the second free throw to tie the game at 61. With three seconds remaining, Louisiana had an opportunity for the win, but Jasmine Barnes' three-point attempt was no good - forcing overtime.
USM held a four point lead in the extended period, but UL kept fighting. Krystal Motley hit a triple at 22.8 seconds to pull the Cajuns within two points, 73-71. USM added a couple of freebies before Oliver drove down the lane help UL reaming within two with 13.1 seconds left.
Vigers added another two more from the line to make close out the game, 76-73.
Four Ragin' Cajuns reached double figures as Oliver led the way with a game-high 17 points. The junior hit five shots from the floor, added a trey and six free throws.
Mercedes Johnson inked 14 points, pulling down nine boards and dishing out two assists. The Houston native earned her eighth consecutive double-digit scoring game dating back to Feb. 20, 2010.
Jasmine Barnes and Danielle Smith each had 12 points in Friday's contest.
Barnes, a native of Baton Rouge, hit 50 percent from the floor (6-of-12), recording eight boards, a team-high three steals and dishing out two assists. Smith hit four baskets from the floor, adding two triples and two free throws. The junior pulled in five rebounds.
Leading the way for USM was Vigers and Brittany Johnson, who each had 14 points.
Louisiana used a strong 12-3 run to start out the first half and held a 12-point advantage, 36-24, into halftime.
At the half, Johnson reached double figures with 10 points, while Smith had seven points for the Cajuns.
Southern Miss took the lead to start the game with a 3-0 run. UL used a Danielle Smith freebie and a Jasmine Barnes jumper to tie the game at 3-3 with 16:56 left in the first. Bell hit a layup at 16:29 to give UL a lead that wouldn't be relinquished until the second half.
A fade away by Lyndra Bell at 13:48 helped UL break out to a 12-3 advantage. Then the Cajuns used a steal as Morris added in another two points making it a 14-3 game.
USM snapped their six minute scoring drought with a free throw and a layup at 11:50.
Another jumper by Johnson extended UL's lead to their largest of the game, 25-8 at 6:39.
USM went on a 6-0 run under the five minute mark to cut UL's lead to 11. Louisiana scored six points in the final minute to take a 36-24 advantage into the half.
In the second half, Southern Miss used a 13-0 run in the second half to take a 37-36 lead.
The game then went into a back-and-forth contest that resulted in exchanging leads 11 times in the second half.
Oliver added a basket at 6:21 to give UL a 52-49 lead. USM again answered pulling within one with a Tanesha Washington basket at 5:59. Southern Miss evened the contest at 53-53 with a basket from Tandrea High with 4:13 remaining in the game.
USM's Johnson drained a three at 3:50 as the Eagles went up 56-53. Oliver countered with a triple, tying the contest.
A fade away by Barnes gave UL a two-point lead with 3:03 remaining in the game. Dunbar hit a deuce to even the game at 58-58. The two teams exchanged a trifecta of points as the game was tied at 61-61 after two periods.
In overtime, Southern Miss never trailed despite Louisiana pulling within one, 65-64 at 2:49. Oliver's jumper with 11 seconds left in the game helped UL pull within two. Three free throw shots by USM's Vigers closed out the game.
Louisiana will play in the consolation game of the Lady Eagle Classic on Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. The Ragin' Cajuns will face Murray State, who dropped a 91-59 decision to No. 9 Kentucky. Live video and stats of the game will be available online at RaginCajuns.com.
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