LAFAYETTE — Louisiana basketball shot just 35 percent in the second half, watching a first half lead turn into a 73-66 loss to Texas-Arlington Thursday.
The Cajuns led by as many as eight in the first half, but struggled in the second. UTA did not, shooting 50 percent and hitting their only threes of the night. UTA's Marie Benson led all players with 19 points.
Louisiana's Brandi Williams (11) Skyler Goodwin (13) and Kendall Bess (12) each scored in double figures.
The game was the Cajuns' first at Earl K. Long Gymnasium since the 2016 WCBI Championship. Louisiana won that game in double-OT.
Garry Brodhead said afterwards playing at Earl K. Long did not offer up home court advantage despite the team's occasional practices there.
"It's hard to play in here. People don't realize. They think we had an advantage," he said. "They've (current team) never played in here. They didn't know what would hit them, we didn't know what would hit them. It's difficult. It's difficult to coach in here. There is no advantage for us all."
Louisiana still holds the edge over Little Rock for the fourth seed in the women's conference tournament. Little Rock lost to Troy 70-54 Thursday. The two teams are tied at 9-8 in conference play with Louisiana holding the tie-break advantage. The third and fourth seeded teams in the Sun Belt will host four team pods in the first two rounds of the Sun Belt Tournament next week.