Ragin’ Cajuns head coach Garry Brodhead got his 100th career win, as the Cajuns got their third straight Sun Belt Conference win taking down Coastal Carolina. 

Athletic Network Footnote by Dr. Ed Dugas.
Click here for the game photo gallery posted by the Advertiser.  

LAFAYETTE – It was very fitting that Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns women’s basketball head coach Garry Brodhead got his 100th career win in a defensive showdown.
           
But that’s what happened as the Cajuns beat the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, 59-55, here at the Cajundome for their third straight Sun Belt Conference win and coach Brodhead’s 100th career win.
           
The 24 turnovers the Cajuns forced ties up the 24 turnovers they forced against Appalachian State, on Thursday, Jan. 4, and it means that in the past two games the Cajuns have forced 48 turnovers over the past two games combined.  Louisiana’s win improves their record to 8-8 (3-1 SBC) and the loss, Coastal’s second straight, drops their record to 8-7 (2-2 SBC).
           
Freshman Skyler Goodwin lead the Cajuns in scoring with 17 points, on 6 for 9 shooting and senior Troi Swain had 10 points.  Sophomore Kimberly Burton had a strong second half, and she finished with eight points and six rebounds to lead the Cajuns in rebounding.

HOW IT HAPPENED (First Quarter): Both teams came out of the gate slowly, with neither team scoring a basket in the first two and a half minutes of the game.  Coastal got the scoring started with a basket at the 7:30 mark.
           
Goodwin, dribble drove the basket strong throughout the quarter and she nailed a layup at the 2:41 point to put the Cajuns up by one, she followed that up with another dribble drive that resulted in her going to the free throw line where she nailed both her free throws to tie it up at 11-11.
           
Louisiana’s defensive pressure maintained their strength throughout the period and by the halfway point of the quarter the Chanticleers were in foul trouble as the Cajuns crawled back to take the lead late thanks to their free throw shooting, and along with Goodwin’s two free throws and two free throws from sophomore Malachi-Seraphin Williams the Cajuns took a two-point lead into the quarter break, with the score at 13-11.

HOW IT HAPPENED (Second Quarter): Louisiana carried their strong defensive pressure into the second quarter, as they pressured the Chanticleers with no mercy.  It caused Coastal to turn the ball over eight times in the quarter alone, and they had 11 in the first half, as the Cajuns began to pad their lead. 
           
The Cajuns shot 50 percent from the field in the quarter, and at one point they were up by 11 on a layup from sophomore Brittney Myles.  Coastal answered the Myles’ basket, at 2:06, with a three-pointer to bring it back under single digits, but the Cajuns didn’t lay off their pressure and sophomore Jasmine Thomas put the Cajuns back up by 10 with a layup as the clock hit one minute.
           
Coastal ended the quarter on a quick 5-2 run to cut the Cajuns lead to seven points, and the score was 34-27 as both teams entered the locker room at halftime.

HOW IT HAPPENED (Third Quarter): Louisiana started the half with a jump shot from Goodwin, to put the Cajuns back up by nine points.  A three-pointer from senior Nekia Jones put the Cajuns back up by 10 points, but Coastal again cut it to single digits.  The Cajuns then went on a 9-2 run to push their lead to a game high 15 points and it was wrapped up by a Burton layup at the 2:58 mark in the quarter. 
           
But through the quarter Louisiana’s defense was strong as they got nine points off of turnovers in the period, and a steal from Goodwin as the quarter wrapped up meant the Cajuns were up by 11 points, with the score at 50-39 Cajuns.

HOW IT HAPPENED (Fourth Quarter): Coastal, wouldn’t go away without a fight, and they came out on a mission in the final period.  They started to cut away at the lead and a scoring drought from the Cajuns, starting at the 7:02 mark, and carrying until Goodwin nailed a three-pointer to put the Cajuns up by seven at the 2:51 mark, meant that Coastal had come back into the game.
           
A quick 4-0 run from Coastal got them within three points, but that would be as close as the Chanticleers would get.  As the Cajuns defense tightened the grips on Coastal, and a big charge taken by Goodwin at the 1:37 mark followed up by a huge steal from freshman Ty’Reonne Doucet with 1:06 left in the game, allowed the Cajuns to bleed out the clock.
           
Swain grabbed a huge board with 13 seconds left, and the Cajuns still up by three points.  She called a timeout and on the inbound was fouled and she went to the line with a chance to ice the game.  Swain nailed one of two from the line, and the four-point lead was all the Cajuns needed as they fought off the Chanticleer’s late game charge to get their third straight conference win, 59-55.

FOLLOWING THE RAGIN’ CAJUNS: Follow the Cajuns on twitter @RaginCajunsWBB for updates during games, links to recaps and ways to follow the game as the Cajuns look to get their fourth straight conference win on Saturday, Jan. 13 against ULM.
 

Athletic Network Footnote by Dr. Ed Dugas.

Women’s Basketball Reunion Set For January 27th 

Dear Ragin’ Cajuns!

On behalf of the Ragin’ Cajuns Athletic Department, Bryan Maggard-Director of Athletics, and Coach Gary Brodhead, we would like to invited you and your family to participate in of our 2018 Women’s Basketball Reunion.

On Saturday, January 27^th our team will be playing Troy and we would love to host you and your family for the game and present you and your teammates at half time.

This invitation includes the support groups, such as former coaches, athletic trainers, managers, etc. – please help spread the word about this event and please RSVP whether or not you plan to attend.

Schedule of Events:

*Time TBD* Tour the new Student-Athlete Performance Center

*Time TBD* Shoot around practice and meet the team.