LAKE CHARLES, La. – Powered by sophomore Ty’Reona Doucet’s school-record 22 rebounds in a single game, along with an added 29 points from Doucet, Louisiana Women’s Basketball (1-1, 0-0 SBC) won its first game of the season, taking down McNeese State (0-2, 0-0 SLC), 70-59 at Burton Coliseum.
Doucet, who recorded her second double-double of the season, dominated the game from start to finish and her seven rebounds in the fourth quarter gave her the record, which was previously 21 rebounds set by Teena Cooper in 1988. Doucet was 8-for-14 from the field in the game and had 13 defensive rebounds and nine offensive rebounds.
Freshman Brandi Williams finished with nine points and nine rebounds, just missing a double-double herself, as Louisiana outrebounded McNeese State 56-37, while holding the Cowgirls to 31 percent shooting.
HOW IT HAPPENED (First Half): Doucet got Louisiana rolling in the first quarter, scoring four of Louisiana’s six points, on her way to eight first quarter points. With the score tied at 6-6, freshman Diamond Morrision nailed a three-point basket to make it 9-6 Louisiana. Doucet followed that up, after a nice rebound from junior Caroline Rivera, and it sent Louisiana on an 11-2 run to finish up the first quarter up 17-8.
The Ragin’ Cajuns carried that run into the second quarter, and eventually stretched it out to a 23-5 run. Sophomores Jomyra Mathis and Skyler Goodwin, along with Doucet, did most of the heavy lifting during the stretch and at the 4-minute mark of the period Louisiana held 19-point lead with the score sitting at 29-10.
But a slight shooting lull from Louisiana meant that the Ragin’ Cajuns could not push the lead over 20 points and McNeese State, helped by a 6-2 run, cut into the lead making it a 15-point game heading into the break with Louisiana leading 35-20.
HOW IT HAPPENED (Second Half): Louisiana’s shooting troubles continued into the first five minutes of the second half, and it allowed McNeese State to crawl back into the game and at the 4:23 mark of the third quarter, McNeese State had gotten within nine points of the Ragin’ Cajuns with the score sitting at 39-30. But solid play down the stretch of the third quarter, led by three of Louisiana’s top freshmen, helped Louisiana keep McNeese State at arm’s length.
Over the final 3:30 of the third quarter, freshman Jazmyn Womack grabbed two rebounds and scored four points, freshman Andrea Cournoyer dropped five points of her own and Williams added two rebounds and a bucket to help the Ragin’ Cajuns push things back over 10 points and took a 70-59 lead heading into the final period.
Louisiana then worked hard in the first five minutes of the final quarter, reaching a game-high 21-point lead when Williams drained two free-throws at the 8:57 mark of the fourth quarter. But the Cowgirls were not finished, and a furry of baskets over minute and a half period, cut deeply into Louisiana’s lead when it went from 17 points at the 3:38 point, to nine points when Regan Bolton hit a three-point basket as the clock passed two-minutes.
But Louisiana closed the game out at the free-throw line, shooting five-for-eight from the line over the final minute of the game, never letting McNeese State get closer than nine points in the final minute, to ice the 70-59 win
GAME NOTES: On-top of being a school record, Doucet’s 22 rebounds was the first time 20-plus rebounds were grabbed in a game for Louisiana since Yolanda Jones snagged 20 vs. LSU-Shreveport on Dec. 12, 2005; Louisiana outrebounded McNeese State 56-37; The Ragin’ Cajuns were clutch from the line, shooting 79 percent (26-for-33) which is the best mark in a game with at least 30 attempts since shooting 78 percent (25-for-32) in the 2016 Women’s Basketball Invitational Championship win over Weber State.
UP NEXT FOR THE CAJUNS: Louisiana returns to the CAJUNDOME for its Fifth Annual Education game when, on Nov. 14, Dillard comes to Lafayette for an 11 a.m. tip. The game will be broadcast on CST and 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.
FOLLOWING THE RAGIN’ CAJUNS: Follow the Ragin’ Cajuns on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (@RaginCajunsWBB) to stay up-to-date with Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Women’s Basketball.
