Women’s Basketball: Schambough Hits Game Winner as Cajuns Snap 17 Game Skid

Box Score

Brandi Schambough helped the Ragin’ Cajuns women’s basketball team get a huge monkey off their back by knocking down a game winning three to defeat Nebraska Omaha 62-60 in overtime at Earl K. Long Gym Monday afternoon.
 
UL (6-22, 0-15) kept fighting as they saw themselves trailing by as many as 13 points with under nine minutes to go, but managed to grind it out defensively and make key buckets down the stretch when they counted most.
 
Nebraska Omaha (15-12) looked as though they may put the game out of reach with a fastbreak layup to go up 12 with 5:34 remaining, but the Cajuns had no quit in them. They used a 7-0 scoring spurt that included a Motley “and-1” to cut the score to 52-47 at the 3:50 mark.
 
Pohl hit her fourth three of the game with 3:25 left to play upping the Mavs lead to 55-47. Motley came through for UL once again as she knocked down a triple and converted on two free throws to cut the deficit to three points.
 
Louisiana found themselves trailing by five points with under a minute to play, until Arceneaux made another basket in the paint to bring the Cajuns back to within three.
 
UL had a huge defensive stop forcing a turnover, and took control of the possession with 40 seconds to go. Nicole Morris spotted up outside the arc and received a pass from Motley. The senior stepped up and knocked down the three to tie the game and send the game to overtime at 57 all.
 
In the overtime, Brunker made another one of her patented baseline jumpers to give the Cajuns their first lead of the ballgame 59-57 at the 3:14 mark.
 
UNO tied the game back up on a driving layup from Nash and went ahead on a free throw from Kelly, 60-59 with 1:12 remaining.
 
UL couldn’t seem to find another basket in the overtime, but continued to make defensive stops. The Cajuns came out of a timeout with the ball out of bounds underneath the basket with 11 seconds remaining.
 
Brandi Schambough, without having seen a second of action the entire contest, was inserted into the game and came curling off a screen to make a three pointer with eight seconds left to give Louisiana a 62-60 lead. UL defended the Mavericks one last chance as Stacia Gebers missed her shot attempt and the Cajuns came away with the victory.
 
It marked the first time UL has won since December 16, and broke a span of 17 straight losses, which was the longest streak since the 1998-99 season.
 
Motley led the Cajuns in scoring as she poured in 26 points and grabbed eight rebounds-21 of her points coming in the second half. Arceneaux recorded her first double-double, posting career highs in points (12) and rebounds (10). Brunker was the third UL player to reach double-figures on her way to 12 points.
 
Robbie Brown was tremendous on defense, locking down the Mavericks best perimeter players and getting her hands in the plays and coming up with steals. Brown finished tying her career-best with six steals.
 
UNO also finished with three players in double-figures. Pohl finished with 16, including four threes and Nash had 14 points. Kelly recorded a double-double with 12 points and tallied 15 boards.
 
The Mavericks jumped out to an early advantage as Nash scored the first two buckets of the game and Kelly made a layup to give UNO a 6-0 heading into the first media timeout.
 
Brunker put the Cajuns on the scoreboard, making turnaround midrange jumper at the 14:09 mark. Nebraska Omaha responded with a bucket before Motley connected on a triple from the corner to narrow the lead to 8-5.
 
Pohl drained a three at the 11:51 mark to start a Maverick’s 8-0 run to increase their lead to 16-5.
 
UL answered as Brown pick-pocketed her defender and made a layup on the other end. Brunker knocked down another jumper on the next possession to cut the deficit to 16-9.
 
Nebraska Omaha extended their lead to double-digits, until Arceneaux converted on a spin move in the paint making the score 23-15 with 2:50 remaining in the half.
 
Arceneaux proceeded to knock down the final three points of the half on free throws as the Cajuns saw themselves behind 25-18 heading into the locker rooms.
 
Brunker led the way for Louisiana with six points on 3-of-6 shooting. Motley and Arceneaux had five points apiece in the first stanza.
 
Nash led the Mavericks with nine first half points.
 
Arceneaux scored the first basket for the Ragin’ Cajuns in the second half as she received a pass and made a jumper in the lane as the shot clock expired to bring the squad to their smallest deficit since the 12:56 mark of the first half at 25-20.
 
Kelly scored on a put back layup for Nebraska Omaha to give the visitors a 30-22 advantage. UL scored six unanswered points including four free throws and a fast break layup by Motley to cut the Mavs lead to 30-28 with 14:31 to play.
 
UNO increased their lead back to six points, but the Cajuns had an answer again as Motley drained her second triple of the contest, making the score 36-33.
 
The Mavericks used a 9-1 run over the next two-plus minutes to extend their lead to 11 points, but Brunker answered with a baseline jumper to keep Louisiana within striking distance at 45-36.
 
UL will look to begin a winning streak heading into the conference tournament as they play their final regular season game of the season on Saturday Feb. 25 against Louisiana Monroe. The game is senior night and the five seniors Michelle Brunker, Nicole Morris,
 

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