LAFAYETTE (PRESS RELEASE) – Louisiana Women’s Basketball (0-1, 0-0 SBC), despite a great effort from the entire Ragin’ Cajuns squad and a double-double from sophomore Ty’ Reona Doucet, dropped its season opener to the Lamar Cardinals (1-0, 0-0 SLC), 79-77 in overtime at the CAJUNDOME.
Doucet finished with career-high 18 points and 15 rebounds, shooting 5-for-8 from the field while grabbing 12 defensive rebounds. Overall Louisiana shot 50 percent from the field in the game, 24-for-48, while sophomore Skyler Goodwin (18 points) and Jomyra Mathis (12 points) along with freshman Brandi Williams (16 points) contributed to Louisiana’s four scoring in double-figures.
HOW IT HAPPENED (First Half): Louisiana got things started with a basket from Mathis, who took contact while heading to the floor, and with Mathis’ basket the tone was quickly set for the first half of action with Louisiana getting three steals within the first several minutes of the half. But as the first quarter rolled along, despite Mathis dropping seven points through the period, Louisiana could not handle Lamar on the boards and it powered the Cardinals to a 9-0 run that ended at the four-minute mark of the first quarter.
A great move from Mathis, dribbling around her defender and hitting the basket got Louisiana within two points, sitting at 13-11 Lamar. But the Cardinals again went on a run, this time a 7-0 run, which ended the first quarter, turned into a 12-0 run that dragged into the second quarter.
With the score sitting at 25-13, in favor of Lamar, Louisiana began to find the answers and they answered back with the best stretch they had played through the game so far. From the six-minute mark, until the four-minute mark, Louisiana went on a 10-0 run to bring the score within two points, 25-23.
As the half drew to an end, Louisiana and Lamar traded baskets, with Louisiana taking a one-point lead on a three-point basket from freshman Andrea Cournoyer, 30-29, but Lamar answered and when the second quarter came to an end, despite Louisiana shooting 50 percent in the half, Lamar held a 34-30 lead.
HOW IT HAPPENED (Second Half): Through the first five minutes of the third quarter, Lamar extended its lead to as high as 12 points, with the last 12-point lead coming at the five-minute mark, with Lamar leading 49-37. It was spurred on by a 7-0 run in the first several minutes and a 9-2 run that took things to the five-minute mark.
But Louisiana was ready to respond, and they went on a 14-2 run over the final five minutes of the quarter and when the quarter came to an end, Louisiana had tied things up at 51-51.
The fourth quarter was a back-and-forth affair, with neither team able to get ahead and the score being tied up four times during the period. Down the stretch Louisiana was down by three points, with 3:15 to go, but a big layup from Cournoyer, followed by two free throws from Williams gave Louisiana its first lead since the first half, with the score at 65-54.
Lamar answered, and both teams traded the lead over the final two-minutes of the game, but a last-second jumper shot from Lamar’s Jadyn Pimentel tied things up at 70-70 and the game entered overtime.
HOW IT HAPPENED (Overtime): The game went down to the stretch, with Louisiana and Lamar both trading baskets and the lead, throughout the entire period. A layup from Doucet put Louisiana up 77-76 with 23 seconds left in the game, but Lamar answered with a layup of its own. Lamar’s Angel Hastings put the final dagger in, nailing the layup to put the Cardinals up 78-77 with eight seconds to go, and following a free throw Lamar escaped with a 79-77 win over Louisiana.
GAME NOTES: Doucet’s 18 points and 15 rebounds were both career highs; Doucet’s 15 rebounds was the first time since Simone Fields grabbed 16 vs/ ULM on Mar. 3, 2017, that Louisiana had someone grab at least 15-plus rebounds in a game; The 50 percent shooting was the best Louisiana shot in a game since shooting 50 percent at Georgia State on Feb. 8, 2018.
UP NEXT FOR THE CAJUNS: Louisiana hits the road for the first time this season when they head down to McNeese State to take on the Cowgirls in the I-10 Rivalry on Sunday, Nov. 11, with tip scheduled for 2 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN1420.
TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE: Both season tickets and individual tickets for Louisiana Women’s Basketball are available for purchase by either heading to ragincajuns.com/tickets or by calling the Louisiana Athletics Ticket Office at the CAJUNDOME, (337) 265-2357, or by visiting the office in person.
