SAN MARCOS, Texas – Trailing 18 points with 9:40 to play in the third quarter, Louisiana mounted a massive comeback behind a season-high 52 second-half points to stun Texas State on the road, 73-67.
Louisiana (11-6, 4-2 SBC), which only led Saturday’s game for 2:57, used a perfect 23-for-23 effort at the free throw line in the final 20 minutes to complete the comeback win, the team’s largest come-from-behind victory since overcoming a 15-point deficit against Texas State on March 9, 2017, to win, 66-64.
Juniors Ty’Reona Doucet and Skyler Goodwin stole the show, combining for 42 points and 13 rebounds in the win. Doucet led the way with a season-high 22 points and pulled down seven boards, while Goodwin also contributed a season-high scoring performance with 20 points.
The only other Ragin’ Cajun to score in double figures was Brandi Williams, who added 15 points in 36 minutes of action.
Despite being narrowly outrebounded, 34-30, Louisiana was able to feast in the paint, outscoring Texas State, 34-24, down low. The Ragin’ Cajuns also forced 19 Bobcat turnovers and notched 11 steals.
After trading buckets early in the first quarter, Goodwin gave Louisiana its first lead of the game at the 6:12 mark when she drove through the lane and deposited a layup to put the team up 6-4. The lead quickly dissipated when Texas State used a 7-0 run to take an 11-6 lead with 2:32 on the clock.
Up 17-12 after the opening quarter, Texas State pushed its lead out to 26-16 when Bailey Holle drained a 3-pointer 3:36 into the second period. Louisiana was unable to respond over the remainder of the half, being held scoreless over the final 2:28 to find itself down 36-21 at halftime.
Holle opened the third quarter with a 3-pointer to give Texas State its largest lead of the game at 39-21 before Louisiana took control and used a 15-7 run to trim the lead to 46-36 at the media timeout following a layup from Doucet. Over the final 4:55 of the third period, the Ragin’ Cajuns used another big run (14-7) to trim the lead down to one possession (53-50) with 10 minutes to play.
Texas State (7-10, 0-6 SBC) gave itself some breathing room early in the final stanza, but it could not slow a surging Louisiana squad that tied things up at 56 all with 6:27 to play after Andrea Cournoyer made two free throws, her only points of the game.
Two minutes later, Doucet gave Louisiana its first lead since the first quarter when she made two free throws, but the Bobcats answered with two free throws of their own to tie things up once again, 63-63.
That was as close as the game would get, though, as the Ragin’ Cajuns made 10 free throws in the final 2:04 of the game to fend off any potential momentum from the Bobcats and ice the 73-67 comeback victory.
Louisiana will play six of its next seven game in the Cajundome, beginning on Thursday, Jan. 23, when it welcomes in Arkansas State. Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN+ and ESPN1420.
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