Women’s Basketball: Cajuns Get Red Hot In Second Half To Beat App State

LAFAYETTE – 14 three-pointers and 22 points from senior Troi Swain were more than enough for the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns women’s basketball team as they shot the Appalachian State Mountaineers out of the Cajundome for the 61-45 win.
           
The win, the Cajuns’ second straight Sun Belt Conference win of the season, improves their record to 7-8 (2-1 SBC) and the loss drops the Mountaineers’ record to 2-12 (0-3 SBC).
           
Louisiana’s 14 three-pointers made in the game were one off tying a school record, while Swain’s 22 points was one away from tying her career high.  Sophomore Malachi-Seraphin Williams added 11 points of her own while going 3-4 from beyond the arc herself (4-7 from the field).

HOW IT HAPPENED (First Quarter): Senior Nekia Jones picked up right where she left off at Arkansas State, nailing a three-pointer to start the scoring off for the Cajuns.  Things went back and forth through the first few minutes, but the Cajuns remained hot and in the first five minutes of the quarter they hit three shots from beyond the arc.
           
Two back-to-back three pointers from freshman Skyler Goodwin and Seraphin-Williams put the Cajuns on a 6-0 run through the middle part of the quarter, and the score sat at 11-9 Cajuns when App State broke the run.  The Mountaineers went on a 5-0 run and they took tied things up at 2:20, with the score at 11-11.  Louisiana tied it back up on two free throws from Jones, but a buzzer beating three pointer from App State’s LaPresha Stanley gave the Mountaineers a three-point lead after the first quarter.

HOW IT HAPPENED (Second Quarter): The quarter started what would be a back and forth affair through the entire period.  Goodwin’s second three-pointer of the game followed by a quick 5-0 run from Seraphin-Williams tied things up at 21-21.  Jones nailed a layup to put the Cajuns up by two and the score sat at 23-21 Cajuns as the clock ticked by seven minutes.
           
Louisiana took their biggest lead of the quarter, tying what was at the time, their biggest lead of the game, with a three-point basket from senior Kendra Howard the Cajuns went up by five points with the score sitting 28-23 points in favor of the Cajuns.
           
Neither team scored over the second stretch of the quarter, but a three-point basket from App State’s Nicola Mathews at the one minute mark kicked off a 7-0 run for the Mountaineers to end the half and a layup from App State’s Bayley Plummer at the buzzer put App State up by two points at the end of the half, with the score sitting at 30-28 in favor of the Mountaineers.

HOW IT HAPPENED (Third Quarter): App State came out extended their lead to seven points as they carried their 7-0 run into the third quarter pushing it to an 11-0 run.  A three-point basket from Swain ended that run and sophomore Jasmine Thomas pulled the Cajuns within two points, but App State responded and they hit back to extend their lead to eight points.
           
It would be the largest lead that App State would have in the game, as Goodwin nailed yet another Cajuns three-pointer, to wake Louisiana up.  Swain, who was unstoppable in the second half, finished the quarter with five points of her own, including a last second three-pointer to bring the Cajuns within two points of App State as the score sat at 43-41.

HOW IT HAPPENED (Fourth Quarter): Swain came out and in the first possession of the quarter put the Cajuns up for good with yet another three-point basket and just like that the score sat at 44-43.  Louisiana proceeded to set the building on fire, with their next three baskets being from beyond the arc as they took advantage of App State’s tired legs.
           
Swain hit four of her six three-pointers in the final quarter as the Cajuns came alive from downtown, they shot 40 percent in the quarter and added to their lead throughout the entire quarter.  A jumper from Plummer at the 4:30 mark of the quarter would be App State’s last basket of the game. 
           
Two more three-pointers from Swain and the Cajuns going 4-4 from the line, put the gap well over 10 points and when the final whistle blew the Cajuns finished 14 of 26 from three-point line (5-9 in the fourth quarter) to finish the game with a comfortable 16-point lead with the final score sitting at 61-45 Cajuns.

NOTEWORTHY: The 14 three pointers are the most the Cajuns have made since draining 14 against Georgia Southern on Jan. 14, 2017; The 53 percent from three-point line (with at least 20 attempts) is the highest percentage from beyond the arc since the Cajuns shot 52 percent against Georgia Southern (1/14/17);  
           
Swain’s six made three-pointer (6 for 11) is a career high; It’s the second game in a row where the Cajuns had double-digits in assists; It’s the second straight season where the Cajuns have followed up beating Arkansas State with a win at the Cajundome in conference play.

Cajuns head coach Garry Brodhead is now one win away from 100 wins, as this was his 99th career win.

UP NEXT FOR THE CAJUNS: Louisiana returns to the Cajundome court to take on the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers on Saturday, Jan. 6 with that tip scheduled for 4 p.m.  The game will be streamed live on the Ragin’ Cajuns Digital Network with Dan McDonald handling play-by-play duties and on the radio Steve Peloquin of ESPN 1420 AM will handle the broadcast and play-by-play duties of the game.

FOLLOWING THE RAGIN’ CAJUNS: Follow the Cajuns on twitter @RaginCajunsWBB for updates during the games, links to recaps and ways to follow the games.

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.

The Men’s Team will play prior to the women and your ticket will give you access to both games.

4:00 pm – Game vs. Troy

*Half Time presentation on court. 

 *Post-game reception at the Cajun Dome.

Please RSVP by emailing mminton@louisiana.edu with the following information: (up to 4 tickets provided)

Name:

Years Played:

Mailing Address:

Ticket(s) Request:

**Please share with former teammates as the information that the University of Louisiana at Lafayette contains is not always accurate or most up to date.

We look forward to hosting you and your family!

Geaux Cajuns!