LAFAYETTE – The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Women’s Basketball team wraps up a weekend at the Cajundome with the program’s annual Alumni Game on Saturday, January 21 at 2:00 p.m. against Arkansas State.
Louisiana (10-9, 4-3 SBC) will attempt to record its first 2-0 week in Sun Belt play this season after opening the current two-game set with a hard-fought 61-51 win over Old Dominion on Thursday.
The Ragin’ Cajuns also seek to move a season-best two games above the .500 mark, both overall and in SBC play, and maintain their position in the top half of the conference standings.
As part of the Alumni Game festivities, prior to the game a Family Tailgate – featuring cotton candy, balloon art, halfcourt games and a fun jump – will be held from 12:00-1:30 p.m. At halftime of the matchup with ASU there will be an on-court recognition of those alumni in attendance.
Admission to the game – and all home games throughout the entire season – is free of charge for all and open to the public. The first 50 fans will receive a free Louisiana Basketball t-shirt.
The UL-ASU contest will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Dan McDonald (pxp) and Byron Starks (analyst) providing the commentary. Fans in the Acadiana region can listen to call of the game by Steve Peloquin on 103.3 FM The Goat and 1420 AM and worldwide on the Varsity Network. Live stats will be provided by CajunStats.com.
It’s the first of two meetings with the Red Wolves (6-12, 1-6 SBC) this season. Louisiana returns the visit on Saturday, February 18 in Jonesboro, Arkansas.
Louisiana is coming off a pivotal Sun Belt win with Thursday’s triumph over ODU. The Ragin’ Cajuns survived 10 lead changes to exit the day as one of eight SBC teams with a winning league mark and vault into a four-way tie for fifth place in the 14-team ledger.
In defeating ODU, the Ragin’ Cajuns shot a season-high 62 percent (24-of-39) never allowing the Monarchs to establish a lead of more than three points. Louisiana closed out the gritty win with a game-ending 11-1 run that included holding ODU to 0-of-5 shooting and four turnovers over the final 3:44.
The sharpshooting night marked the Ragin’ Cajuns fourth straight game shooting above 40 percent and the fourth straight outing of 60-plus points. Defensively, Louisiana capped off an SBC foe’s scoring at 51 points for the fifth time in eight outings.
Heading into the ASU matchup, it’s the third time that Louisiana has an opportunity to land a perfect week in SBC action. The Ragin’ Cajuns hope to avoid the pitfall suffered on New Year’s Eve vs. Coastal Carolina and last Saturday’s overtime loss at Troy.
The Ragin' Cajuns are 7-2 on their home court which includes a 3-1 mark in SBC games. UL has won two straight on its home court, starting the streak last Thursday with a 66-49 win over South Alabama. All three of the team’s SBC home wins have come by double digits.
Boosted by back-to-back, 20-point games and four overall in the past month, Lanay Wheaton has increased her season scoring average over four points and taken over the team lead now averaging 11.3 points per game. Previous leading scorer Tamera Johnson follows closely at 11.1 points per game and has scored double figures 11 times.
In SBC play, Wheaton (13.7) and Johnson (12.4) have been the primary scorers. Destiny Rice has increased her SBC-play average to 8.9 points, boosted by a career-high 21 points at Texas State and followed up by an average of 10 points per game in last week's USA-Troy set.
Arkansas State enters the Cajundome with newfound momentum after snapping a seven-game losing streak and collecting its first Sun Belt victory on Thursday at South Alabama (W, 63-47).
The Red Wolves, who are closing out a four-game road trip, are led by Lauryn Pendleton has scored in double figures in five of seven games to start conference play, recording her third double-double of the
year with 23 points and 10 rebounds at USA. Anna Griffin is second in the SBC in rebounds per game (8.3) and total rebounds (150) and scored a career-high 22 points on Jan. 5 at Troy to go with 10 boards.
GAME INFORMATION
LOUISIANA (10-9, 4-3 SBC) vs. ARKANSAS STATE (6-12, 1-6 SBC)
Date / Time: Saturday, January 21, 2023 / 2:00 p.m. (CST)
Site: Lafayette, La.
Arena: Cajundome (12,362)
RADIO/TVRadio: The GOAT 103.3 FM / 1420 AMTalent: Steve Peloquin (PxP)TV: ESPN+ [espn.com]Talent: Dan McDonald (PxP); Byron Starks (Analyst)
LIVE STATS/SOCIAL MEDIALive Stats: CajunStats.com [statb.us]Twitter Updates: @RaginCajunsWBB [twitter.com] | #GeauxCajuns
SERIES HISTORYOverall: Arkansas State leads, 52-24
In Lafayette: ASU leads, 24-14
Streak: Louisiana +6
Last Meeting: UL 68-57, 2/5/22 (Lafayette, La.)
Noteworthy: Longtime conference foes meeting for the 77th time overall … series dates back to the 1982-83 season when both programs were members of the Southland Conference … conference partnership transitioned to the American South Conference in 1987-88 and to the present-day Sun Belt Conference affiliation in the 1991-92 season … over the last decade the series has been in Louisiana’s favor with the Ragin’ Cajuns holding a 12-9 lead in the Garry Brodhead era … Louisiana carries its series-best winning streak of six games into Saturday’s matchup, and has won 10 of the last 12 meetings dating back to the 2016-17 season … the Ragin’ Cajuns recent dominance included a four-game sweep of the Red Wolves during the COVID-altered schedule of the 2020-21 season.
LAFAYETTE – The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Women’s Basketball team wraps up a weekend at the Cajundome with the program’s annual Alumni Game on Saturday, January 21 at 2:00 p.m. against Arkansas State.
Louisiana (10-9, 4-3 SBC) will attempt to record its first 2-0 week in Sun Belt play this season after opening the current two-game set with a hard-fought 61-51 win over Old Dominion on Thursday.
The Ragin’ Cajuns also seek to move a season-best two games above the .500 mark, both overall and in SBC play, and maintain their position in the top half of the conference standings.
As part of the Alumni Game festivities, prior to the game a Family Tailgate – featuring cotton candy, balloon art, halfcourt games and a fun jump – will be held from 12:00-1:30 p.m. At halftime of the matchup with ASU there will be an on-court recognition of those alumni in attendance.
Admission to the game – and all home games throughout the entire season – is free of charge for all and open to the public. The first 50 fans will receive a free Louisiana Basketball t-shirt.
The UL-ASU contest will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Dan McDonald (pxp) and Byron Starks (analyst) providing the commentary. Fans in the Acadiana region can listen to call of the game by Steve Peloquin on 103.3 FM The Goat and 1420 AM and worldwide on the Varsity Network. Live stats will be provided by CajunStats.com.
It’s the first of two meetings with the Red Wolves (6-12, 1-6 SBC) this season. Louisiana returns the visit on Saturday, February 18 in Jonesboro, Arkansas.
Louisiana is coming off a pivotal Sun Belt win with Thursday’s triumph over ODU. The Ragin’ Cajuns survived 10 lead changes to exit the day as one of eight SBC teams with a winning league mark and vault into a four-way tie for fifth place in the 14-team ledger.
In defeating ODU, the Ragin’ Cajuns shot a season-high 62 percent (24-of-39) never allowing the Monarchs to establish a lead of more than three points. Louisiana closed out the gritty win with a game-ending 11-1 run that included holding ODU to 0-of-5 shooting and four turnovers over the final 3:44.
The sharpshooting night marked the Ragin’ Cajuns fourth straight game shooting above 40 percent and the fourth straight outing of 60-plus points. Defensively, Louisiana capped off an SBC foe’s scoring at 51 points for the fifth time in eight outings.
Heading into the ASU matchup, it’s the third time that Louisiana has an opportunity to land a perfect week in SBC action. The Ragin’ Cajuns hope to avoid the pitfall suffered on New Year’s Eve vs. Coastal Carolina and last Saturday’s overtime loss at Troy.
The Ragin' Cajuns are 7-2 on their home court which includes a 3-1 mark in SBC games. UL has won two straight on its home court, starting the streak last Thursday with a 66-49 win over South Alabama. All three of the team’s SBC home wins have come by double digits.
Boosted by back-to-back, 20-point games and four overall in the past month, Lanay Wheaton has increased her season scoring average over four points and taken over the team lead now averaging 11.3 points per game. Previous leading scorer Tamera Johnson follows closely at 11.1 points per game and has scored double figures 11 times.
In SBC play, Wheaton (13.7) and Johnson (12.4) have been the primary scorers. Destiny Rice has increased her SBC-play average to 8.9 points, boosted by a career-high 21 points at Texas State and followed up by an average of 10 points per game in last week's USA-Troy set.
Arkansas State enters the Cajundome with newfound momentum after snapping a seven-game losing streak and collecting its first Sun Belt victory on Thursday at South Alabama (W, 63-47).
The Red Wolves, who are closing out a four-game road trip, are led by Lauryn Pendleton has scored in double figures in five of seven games to start conference play, recording her third double-double of the
year with 23 points and 10 rebounds at USA. Anna Griffin is second in the SBC in rebounds per game (8.3) and total rebounds (150) and scored a career-high 22 points on Jan. 5 at Troy to go with 10 boards.
GAME INFORMATION
LOUISIANA (10-9, 4-3 SBC) vs. ARKANSAS STATE (6-12, 1-6 SBC)
Date / Time: Saturday, January 21, 2023 / 2:00 p.m. (CST)
Site: Lafayette, La.
Arena: Cajundome (12,362)
RADIO/TVRadio: The GOAT 103.3 FM / 1420 AM
Talent: Steve Peloquin (PxP)
TV: ESPN+ [espn.com]
Talent: Dan McDonald (PxP); Byron Starks (Analyst)
LIVE STATS/SOCIAL MEDIALive Stats: CajunStats.com [statb.us]Twitter Updates: @RaginCajunsWBB [twitter.com] | #GeauxCajuns
SERIES HISTORYOverall: Arkansas State leads, 52-24
In Lafayette: ASU leads, 24-14
Streak: Louisiana +6
Last Meeting: UL 68-57, 2/5/22 (Lafayette, La.)
FIVE-PLUS THINGS TO KNOW
- What a Feelin’: Louisiana has been on the winning side of recent matchups with Arkansas State, claiming victory in each of the last six meetings dating back to the 2016-17 season.
- It’s the Small Details: A subtle layer to the Ragin’ Cajuns stout defensive system is the ability to draw a charge to force a turnover from the opposition. It was a key factor in the late defensive stand vs. ODU as the squad drew charges on back-to-back Monarchs possessions to protect a 54-50 lead in the final two minutes.
- Double Trouble: It started with a combined 34 points in the South Alabama win. Since then, Lanay Wheaton and Tamera Johnson have joined forces to provide Louisiana with a combined 30-plus points in three straight games.
- No Quit: The Ragin’ Cajuns’ tenacity was on display at Troy as the squad battled back from an eight-point deficit twice in the fourth quarter in sending the game to overtime, then again by working through 10 lead changes on Thursday against Old Dominion.
- It's an Art: Louisiana ranks Top 25 nationally, and a close second in the Sun Belt Conference, in turnovers forced per game (20.9). Twelve (12) times – and in eight of the last 11 games – the Ragin' Cajuns have forced the opposition into 20-plus turnovers.
- Sun Belt Success Story: Dating back to the 2020-21 season in which Louisiana won the regular season championship, the program has won 26 of its last 34 Sun Belt Conference games.
FIVE-PLUS THINGS TO KNOW
- What a Feelin’: Louisiana has been on the winning side of recent matchups with Arkansas State, claiming victory in each of the last six meetings dating back to the 2016-17 season.
- It’s the Small Details: A subtle layer to the Ragin’ Cajuns stout defensive system is the ability to draw a charge to force a turnover from the opposition. It was a key factor in the late defensive stand vs. ODU as the squad drew charges on back-to-back Monarchs possessions to protect a 54-50 lead in the final two minutes.
- Double Trouble: It started with a combined 34 points in the South Alabama win. Since then, Lanay Wheaton and Tamera Johnson have joined forces to provide Louisiana with a combined 30-plus points in three straight games.
- No Quit: The Ragin’ Cajuns’ tenacity was on display at Troy as the squad battled back from an eight-point deficit twice in the fourth quarter in sending the game to overtime, then again by working through 10 lead changes on Thursday against Old Dominion.
- It's an Art: Louisiana ranks Top 25 nationally, and a close second in the Sun Belt Conference, in turnovers forced per game (20.9). Twelve (12) times – and in eight of the last 11 games – the Ragin' Cajuns have forced the opposition into 20-plus turnovers.
- Sun Belt Success Story: Dating back to the 2020-21 season in which Louisiana won the regular season championship, the program has won 26 of its last 34 Sun Belt Conference games.
UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
The Ragin’ Cajuns wrap up play in the month of January with their first venture out to the eastern region of the Sun Belt Conference, visiting Georgia Southern and App State from January 26-28.
Louisiana will be in Statesboro, Georgia on Thursday (Jan. 26) to face the Eagles at 5:00 p.m. (CST) from Hanner Fieldhouse and concludes the trip on Saturday (Jan. 28) in Boone, North Carolina with a 1:00 p.m. (CST) matinee against the Mountaineers at the Holmes Convocation Center.
FOLLOW THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
Follow the Ragin' Cajuns on Twitter (@RaginCajunsWBB [twitter.com]), Facebook (/RaginCajunsWBB [facebook.com]) or Instagram (@RaginCajunsWBB [instagram.com]) to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Louisiana Women's Basketball.
Fans are also encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin' Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here [apps.apple.com] for iOS/Apple platforms and here [play.google.com] for Android platforms.
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