LAFAYETTE — Winter weather threw a wrench into the schedules for Louisiana’s men’s and women’s basketball teams this week, forcing adjustments to their preparation and game plans. Despite their best efforts, both squads came up short in Thursday's Sun Belt matchups.
The Ragin’ Cajuns men started strong against Texas State, jumping out to a 27-20 lead in the first half behind a 15-point performance from Brandon Hardy. However, a five-minute scoreless stretch allowed the Bobcats to take control, going on a 14-0 run and maintaining their lead and winning the game, 89-74.
Interim head coach Derrick Zimmerman acknowledged the need for sharper execution late in games.
“It’s just taking the right shot at the right time,” Zimmerman said. “Our guys are going to make those shots. Kentrell [Garnett] went 0-5 from three, which hasn’t happened all season. He’s been playing a lot of minutes, but we’ll bounce back and play better next game.”
The women faced Arkansas State for the second time in nine days, but turnovers and a slow start proved costly. After a sloppy first quarter that ended tied at 8, the Red Wolves broke the game open in the second, outscoring the Cajuns 21-10. UL struggled to overcome the deficit, committing 24 turnovers en route to the 62-49 loss.
Head coach Garry Brodhead cited limited preparation time due to weather as a factor in the team’s performance.
“For some reason, we just couldn’t catch it tonight,” Brodhead said. “We only had one day to prepare, and with the weather conditions, it made things tough. Meanwhile, Arkansas State was able to practice consistently, and it showed.”
Both Cajun squads return to action on Saturday, Jan. 25 at the Cajundome. The women will take on Troy at 2 p.m., followed by the men hosting Southern Miss at 7 p.m.
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