The Book: Lady Cajuns 2005-06 basketball season

[NewsCopy]

If this is a preview of the Sun Belt Conference championship, Louisiana coach J. Kelley Hall would gladly accept a rematch on March 7 in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Hall's Ragin' Cajuns are 13-3 overall and lead the West Division with a 3-1 record. Florida International stands atop the East at 11-6, 4-1 after Thursday's 87-51 dismantling of visiting New Orleans. All eyes will be on Miami when the two leaders tangle at 4 p.m. today in the 5,000-seat Pharmed Arena on the FIU campus. It's a matchup of a program on the rise - UL - against a perennial power in the league in FIU. While Hall is one win away from the school record for coaching wins at 56-46 in his fourth year, the Panthers' Cindy Russo has 545 victories in her 27th year at the FIU helm. The Cajuns won the West last year, while the Panthers' last division title came in 2001-02 as Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee have grappled for the top in the East in recent years. Louisiana has won the last three meetings, including 68-58 in Miami last season and 61-60 in the 2005 Sun Belt Tournament at North Texas, which should make for an unfriendly reception today. The rest of the story Bruce Brown bbrown@theadvertiser.com

[NewsCopy]

Say this for the Louisiana Ragin' Cajun women - when they lose, they leave no doubt. The Cajuns ran into an inspired Florida International squad last Saturday and dropped a 72-47 decision in a matchup of Sun Belt Conference division leaders. It was the second league defeat for Louisiana, echoing a 70-47 home loss to North Texas. "We couldn't make a shot," said coach J. Kelley Hall, whose team was in position to win after closing within 31-29 of the Panthers at halftime. "I thought we were in good shape, because we had done that (rally) to them in the past. I thought we had weathered the storm. The rest of the story Bruce Brown bbrown@theadvertiser.com

[NewsCopy]

NEW ORLEANS - Once the Louisiana Ragin' Cajun women got their transition game going, they raced past the New Orleans Privateers for a 70-46 Sun Belt Conference victory here Monday night at the "Chamber of Horrors" gym on the UNO campus. The victory tied coach J. Kelley Hall with Ross Cook for the most coaching wins at the school with 57 apiece, but bouncing back after last Saturday's road loss to Florida International was just as important to the visitors. "This was a must-win game for us," said Yolanda Jones, who led the Cajuns with 19 points and 10 rebounds. "I'm not saying we knew we would win, but it was a big one for us. We need to win at least six road games." It was the third win in four road games for the Cajuns in Sun Belt play, equalling last season's three league wins away from Earl K. Long Gym en route to the West Division title. It was certainly preferable to the 72-47 loss at FIU. "After a bad game, it's important to come back and redeem yourself," said senior point guard Ashley Blanche, who had 12 points, four assists and just one turnover. "It was sort of a must win. We don't want to lose on the road, but if we do, we definitely want to win the next one." The rest of the story Bruce Brown bbrown@theadvertiser.com

[NewsCopy]

That aura around Whitney Dunlap on Monday night was the light bulb clicking on. Dunlap came to the University of Louisiana with lofty credentials as a deadeye shooter from Bishop Sullivan High (now St. Michael) in Baton Rouge, but the 5-foot-8 guard has battled the learning curve in her first season with the Ragin' Cajuns. So when she scored 10 points in UL's 70-46 thrashing of the New Orleans Privateers, hitting 4-of-9 shots including a pair of 3-pointers, it was a breath of fresh air. "At the beginning of the season," Dunlap said, "my confidence was not good. My shot wasn't falling. With that game Monday, I think I showed that I can contribute." "I said last week that I hadn't given up on Whitney," coach J. Kelley Hall said. "I know she can help us. With shooters, you just have to let them keep shooting. She can be a real weapon off the bench. "I was glad to see that on Monday. That's the kind of kid I thought I would get when we recruited her. I hopes it gets her confidence going." But there's more to the game than shooting, especially playing for the defensive-minded Hall. The last thing the Cajuns say in breaking each huddle, in fact, is "defense." "I had to pick up the defense we run," Dunlap said. "There was a lot to learn. You have to learn where to be on the floor. The rest of the story Bruce Brown bbrown@theadvertiser.com

[NewsCopy]

Maybe next time, the shot will count. Louisiana's Ashley Blanche swished a 16-foot jumper with less than a second to play Thursday night in Murfreesboro, but it came too late, allowing Middle Tennessee to escape with a nail-biting 69-68 victory over the Ragin' Cajuns in the rematch of last year's Sun Belt Conference Tournament finals. "I kind of wish it wouldn't have gone in, so I could get some sleep tonight," said Blanche. "She was about .2 seconds off," UL coach J. Kelley Hall said. The visiting Ragin' Cajuns, who trailed 40-28 early and 42-34 at halftime, rallied in the second half to tie the game at 65 on a pair of Yolanda Jones free throws. Then, with 27 seconds remaining, Jeanenne Colbert nailed a 3-point basket off a Blanche assist for a 68-67 UL lead. Krystle Horton's two free throws put the Blue Raiders back up at the 12-second mark, and the Cajuns took a timeout with 8 seconds remaining to set up a final shot. The rest of the story Bruce Brown bbrown@theadvertiser.com

[bigguill]

Hey, we should all try to get out on Saturday and support our ladies as they take on Western Kentucky. Its been a while since I've been to a women's game, so I think it'll be fun. Maybe we can pack out the gym.

[El Sidonio]

I agree. These girls are the hardest working hardest playin bunch I've seen. As small as Long gym is, it'd be nice to pack every game. I guarantee you if people would go to a packed game there, it'd be the hottest ticket in town. Just ask those of us who were there for the home finale last season where we beat Arkansas St. on a last second shot by Ashley Blanche. Place was packed, noisiest game men's or women's that i've ever been too. Was a friggin madhouse.

See y'all there Saturday.

God Bless
Geaux Cajuns

p.s.- nothing like a stellar women's team and a packed EK Long gym to cure the men's basketball blues

[CRAWFISH61]

North Texas was the first game my family attended. Although they had a rough night, it still was a great evening. My girls had a great time cheering on other girls instead of men. My youngest girl plays basketball and she loved all the action. I have invited a group of friends and we should be at least 10 strong. You should experience a game at Earl K. Long.

[CajunCharlie]

Hey, we should all try to get out on Saturday and support our ladies as they take on Western Kentucky. Its been a while since I've been to a women's game, so I think it'll be fun. Maybe we can pack out the gym.

A word of advice, BQ since this is your first game in while...[B]GET THERE EARLY[B]if you want a decent viewing seat. It is going to be jammed. I mean [B]JAMMED[B]. Also, the noise level is going to something you have not witnessed in some time. I just wish we could have that atmosphere at the Dome. To boot, the atmosphere will be even better since we are playing WKU. ENJOY!!

[NewsCopy]

This is something Ragin' Cajun women's basketball fans have been waiting to see. Actually, each day at practice, Jeanenne Colbert has been getting stronger and stronger and more and more into the flow of coach J. Kelley Hall's squad. It's a long way from the horrific preseason auto accident that sidelined Colbert with a damaged eye socket. As she proved in a breakout 22-point performance Thursday night on the road against Middle Tennessee, the junior point guard is now ready for the stretch run. "It definitely helped us to have two point guards on the floor," senior point guard Ashley Blanche said after the narrow 69-68 defeat against the Blue Raiders. "They tried to trap us at halfcourt, and when I'd pass it back to her she took it to the hole, and scored most of the time. "I think she's back to where she needs to be." It was a 3-point basket from Colbert that put the Cajuns ahead 68-67 with 27 seconds left at MT. Her pass in the final second to Blanche set up a jumper that hit nothing but twine but came a fraction of a second too late to win for UL. "Jeanenne has played her way into the lineup," Hall said. "She started the second half for us. She's put together three good games in a row now. I've been saying all she needed was practice and experience. The rest of the story Bruce Brown bbrown@theadvertiser.com

[oldalum]

I went to the Lady Cajun game and will simply say that the Lady Cajuns played as well as the officials would allow. I felt the game was called semi okay for about 25-30 minutes, but they game got out of hand and the official decided to get it back under control they needed to take sides. It was unfortunate that they chose the WKU side

The girls look tired, but they have had many road games in a row, followed by a long trip back to Lafayette and a game less than 24-hours later. They just ran out of gas, and that makes it impossible to win when you are playing 5 on 8 (3 wearing black and white stripes).

[CRAWFISH61]

We went to the game and there was a very good crowd. The girls were plumb wore out. The road games, a very difficult MT game, the late travel and early turn around time took its toll. It worth the price of admission to watch Coach Hall prowl the sidelines. The team played its heart out but with 12 minutes left their legs left them. The Sunbelt should be ashamed for giving one team such an competitive disadvantage. And the officiating was very bad, just plain awful.