LAFAYETTE – The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Women’s Basketball had all 14 players who were available for the 2023-24 season opener enter the game and each score at least one point in a 75-45 win over Spring Hill College on Monday, November 6 at the Cajundome.
The win marked a season-opening victory for the third consecutive season and the 10th time in 12 seasons of the Garry Brodhead era. It was also the 100th victory at the Cajundome with Brodhead (record stand at 100-50).
Tamera Johnson scored a game-high 15 points (6-of-9 FG, 3-of-4 FT) and was joined in double figures by Ashlyn Jones who produced 10 points (4-of-4 FG, 2-of-2 FT) in pacing a Ragin’ Cajuns attack that scored at least 17 points all four quarters.
Louisiana (1-0) shot 48.5 percent (16-of-33) in building a 20-point lead at halftime – the margin remaining above the mark the remainder of the contest. The defense forced Spring Hill into 28 turnovers and 29 percent shooting (15-of-52).
The Cajuns kept running fresh legs at the Badgers, with all but two players logging double-figure minutes and none playing more than 19 minutes.
Mariah Stewart and freshman Jasmine Matthews both made four field goals and score eight points. Brandi Williams, Destiny Rice and Jaylyn James, with five points apiece, were the remaining Cajuns who accounted for the amount or more.
Johnson finished as UL’s leading rebounder with nine boards, Tamiah Robinson and Imani Rothschild both handed out three assists while James led a group of five Cajuns with multiple steals collecting three swipes.
Monday’s matchup marked the first-ever regular season meeting between the Ragin’ Cajuns and Badgers.
HOW IT HAPPENED
A brief 2-2 deadlock was snapped when Johnson drove to the hoop for a layup at 7:41 of the first quarter that kicked off a 9-0 scoring run which put the Cajuns comfortably ahead.
UL stretched out the lead late in the first quarter, a James bucket off a Spring Hill turnover at 3:45 moving the margin into double figures for good at 17-6. Before the initial stanza expired it was Nubia Benedith growing the double-figure margin with a triple at 1:33 for a 22-6 advantage.
When Williams drained the first three-pointer of her return at 3:27 of the second quarter the lead reached 20 points for the first time at 36-16.
Johnson and Stewart combined for 10 points on a perfect 5-for-5 shooting from the field in the first three-plus minutes of the third quarter as UL maintained control taking a 50-27 lead into the media timeout.
The push to the finish line was led by Jones and Wilnie Joseph who both scored four points to lead a group of five Cajuns who scored at least two points in the fourth quarter. Jones and Joseph’s production came in a two-minute stretch where Louisiana’s lead grew from 64-39 with 5:07 remaining to 72-39 with 3:16 showing.
UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
Louisiana continues its busy season-opening week traveling to Auburn, Alabama where they’ll face the host-Tigers on Thursday, November 9 in a 7:00 p.m. game from Neville Arena on the AU campus.
Following the trip to Auburn, the Cajuns return home to face Kent State in the MAC-SBC Challenge on Sunday, November 12 at 4:00 p.m. inside the Cajundome.
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