PENSACOLA, Fla. – March is meant for upsets and the Louisiana women’s basketball team pulled off a major one on Friday night in the Pensacola Bay Center. The seventh-seeded Ragin’ Cajuns trailed by as many as 12 points before coming back to upset the second-seeded Troy Trojans, 67-65, in the first upset of the tournament.
Tamiah Robinson and Jaylyn James each finished with 15 points, with Robinson hitting a pair of huge threes down the stretch. Tamera Johnson added 12 points in the win.
Louisiana held an early 10-9 edge in the first quarter before the Trojans went on a 15-2 run. Brandi Williams ended the run with a layup, but Louisiana trailed 24-14 through the opening 10 minutes.
Down 34-22 in the second quarter, the Louisiana offense came to life. Johnson knocked down a jumper before five points from James and a basket from Alicia Blanton cut the deficit to three. Troy responded with a three before Blanton closed the half with a jumper to make the score 37-33 at the halfway point.
Johnson tied the score for the first time since the opening quarter with a jumper to knot it at 43. With 1:47 to play in the third quarter, James completed a three-point play to put Louisiana ahead 48-47. A three by the Trojans put them back on top but that lead wouldn’t last. Destiny Rice, Robinson, and Ashlyn Jones closed the quarter with a 6-0 run for Louisiana and a 54-50 lead heading into the final quarter.
Robinson opened the fourth with a three to push the lead to seven, the largest of the game for the Cajuns. In the span of 1:06, the Trojans answered with a 7-0 run and tied the score at 57. With the score tied at 61, Robinson connected twice from deep on the wing to ahead 67-63 with 2:05 to play. Troy responded with a basket but the Louisiana defense held them scoreless over the final 1:53 of action to hold on for the win.
Louisiana advances to the SBC semifinals where they will face James Madison at 2 p.m. on Sunday at the Pensacola Bay Center.
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