Noteworthy: Meeting for the first time since a November 1997 matchup in the Dead River Company Classic held in Orono, Maine … the contest in Maine was the lone prior meeting between the two programs … Thursday’s contest marks the first-ever Sun Belt Conference matchup between the Ragin’ Cajuns and Dukes … JMU joined the Sun Belt Conference in July 2022 … Dukes are to become the third Sun Belt newcomer that the Ragin' Cajuns face in the 2022-23 season (met Southern Miss on January 5 in Hattiesburg, Miss.; ODU on Jan. 19 in Lafayette).
HARRISONBURG, Va. – The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Women’s Basketball team seeks to maintain its second-place standing in the Sun Belt Conference on Thursday, February 9 when the squad meets James Madison at 6:00 p.m. (CST) at the Atlantic Union Bank Center in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
The Ragin’ Cajuns opposition has a similar goal, as well.
Both Louisiana (14-10, 8-4 SBC) and JMU (18-6, 8-4) reside in a five-way tie for second place in the SBC ledger. One team will exit Thursday with the upper-hand over the other, and will maintain a close watch on the league’s top spot.
Thursday's game will serve as JMU's Pink Game in support of Breast Cancer Awareness. The Ragin’ Cajuns’ game uniform will be trimmed in pink.
The UL-JMU contest will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Curt Dudley (pxp) and David Taylor (analyst) providing the commentary alongside sideline reporter Cece Evans. Fans in the Acadiana region can listen to call of the game by Ian Auzenne on 103.3 FM The Goat and 1420 AM and worldwide on the Varsity Network. Live stats will be provided by CajunStats.com.
The stop in Harrisonburg kicks off Louisiana’s longest stretch of road games in Sun Belt Conference play, competing in a series of four consecutive road games that runs through Saturday, February 18. The Ragin' Cajuns won't return to the Cajundome until Wednesday, February 22.
The Ragin’ Cajuns travels take them to Mobile, Alabama (at South Alabama) on Saturday, February 11 followed by visits to ULM and Arkansas State from Thursday-Saturday, February 16-18.
Despite last Saturday’s 81-80 last-second overtime loss to Troy at the Cajundome, the Ragin’ Cajuns have won seven of their last nine games dating back to January 7 – the lone defeats coming to Troy in overtime both times.
The last time Louisiana was out on the road the squad was able to come away with a sweep of Georgia Southern and App State, holding both teams below 60 points. The Ragin’ Cajuns are 3-2 away from home in SBC play, the two defeats by the narrowest of margins: one-point defeat at Southern Miss and an overtime bout at Troy.
Louisiana hopes to regain the services of second-leading scorer Lanay Wheaton (11.7) who missed the previous three games with injury. Despite her absence, the team extended its season-best, win streak out to five games, scoring 60-plus both times, prior to the narrow overtime defeat against Troy.
Tamera Johnson has been leading the charge in Wheaton’s absence scoring her season-high in points twice with 22 points at App State and 23 points vs. Troy. Johnson has averaged 16-plus points and eight-plus rebounds the past two weeks, and is coming off an 18-point, 8-rebound per game effort during last week’s ULM-Troy homestand.
Off the bench, the Ragin’ Cajuns are beginning to get key contributions from Alicia Blanton and Jaylyn James. Blanton, who has started in place of Wheaton recently, scored a game-high 15 points against ULM including 10 points in the first half to keep UL in position to grab the win, while James fired off three triples as part of her 12-point, six-rebound effort vs. Troy.
Louisiana looks to avoid back-to-back losses for the first time since the early stages of SBC play (CCU, USM). The Ragin’ Cajuns rebounded well the previous two times coming off a defeat, dominating Texas State 71-51 on the road and downing ODU 61-51 at home.
With only six games remaining in the regular season, Thursday’s contest with JMU signals the fierce battle for Top 4 seeding in the SBC Tournament which guarantees a double-bye all the way to the quarterfinals on Friday, March 3. In addition to the five-way tie for second place, which UL and JMU are involved in, there are two teams (Georgia Southern, Marshall) that sit only one game back of the group.
Johnson’s surge in production has allowed her to reclaim the team lead now averaging 12.1 points per game. The Lafayette native has scored double figures 16 times and recorded five double-doubles. Boosted by four 20-point games since mid-December, and having scored at least 18 points each of her last four outings, Wheaton has increased her season scoring average nearly five full points up to 11.7 points per game.
In SBC play, Wheaton (14.4) and Johnson (13.8) have been Louisiana’s primary scorers. Destiny Rice steadies the offense and has delivered 33 of her season total of 47 assists in conference play. Rice has also increased her scoring in SBC play, up to 9.1 points per game, and is the team’s leading free throw shooter (40-of-49, 81.6%).
JMU has lost four of its last six outings after beginning Sun Belt play with a 6-0 mark. The Dukes are coming off a 72-61 road loss at Georgia Southern, a result that gave the Eagles a sweep of the season series. Kiki Jefferson, a nominee for the 2023 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award, averages 18.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, good for second and third in the league, respectively.
GAME INFORMATION
LOUISIANA (14-10, 8-4 SBC) at JAMES MADISON (18-6, 8-4 SBC)
Date / Time: Thursday, February 9, 2023 / 6:00 p.m. (CST)
Site: Harrisonburg, Va.
Arena: Atlantic Union Bank Center (8,500)
RADIO/TVRadio: The GOAT 103.3 FM / 1420 AM
Talent: Ian Auzenne (PxP)
TV: ESPN+ [espn.com]
Talent: Curt Dudley (PxP); David Taylor (Analyst); Cece Evans (Sideline)
LIVE STATS/SOCIAL MEDIALive Stats: CajunStats.com [statb.us]Twitter Updates: @RaginCajunsWBB [twitter.com] | #GeauxCajuns
SERIES HISTORYOverall: James Madison leads, 1-0
In Harrisonburg: First Meeting
Streak: JMU +1
Last Meeting: JMU 79-47, 11/29/97 (Orono, Maine)
FIVE-PLUS THINGS TO KNOW
- The Winning Formula: Winners of seven of their last nine games, the Ragin' Cajuns benefitted from the January-established recipe of consistently shooting at or near 40 percent and scoring 60-plus combined with heir patented defense which has held the opposition to 60 points or less in all but two of the games during the hot streak.
- Developing Trend: Louisiana has experienced a complete reversal in fortune on offense throughout the course of Sun Belt Conference play, connecting on 39.9 percent of its shots overall (271-of-680) and 30.2 percent (58-of-192) from beyond the arc. The most marked improvement has been from the three-point line, lifting the mark above 30 percent after converting just 24.6 percent in non-conference play.
- Setting the Bar: By holding the opposition to less than 60 points in nine of 12 Sun Belt games, the Ragin’ Cajuns sit near the top of the conference in scoring defense in league play allowing the second-fewest points at 57.1 points per game (trailing only USM’s 54.8 ppg allowed).
- 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. Twice at Georgia Southern it was a charge drawn by Tamera Johnson that wiped out a potential three-point play for the Eagles. Last week vs. ULM and Troy, the Ragin’ Cajuns forced a combined 11 offensive fouls.
- It's an Art: Louisiana ranks Top 25 nationally, and second within the Sun Belt Conference, in turnovers forced per game (20.6). Fifteen (15) times – and in 11 of the last 16 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 30 of its last 39 Sun Belt Conference games.
FIVE-PLUS THINGS TO KNOW
- The Winning Formula: Winners of seven of their last nine games, the Ragin' Cajuns benefitted from the January-established recipe of consistently shooting at or near 40 percent and scoring 60-plus combined with heir patented defense which has held the opposition to 60 points or less in all but two of the games during the hot streak.
- Developing Trend: Louisiana has experienced a complete reversal in fortune on offense throughout the course of Sun Belt Conference play, connecting on 39.9 percent of its shots overall (271-of-680) and 30.2 percent (58-of-192) from beyond the arc. The most marked improvement has been from the three-point line, lifting the mark above 30 percent after converting just 24.6 percent in non-conference play.
- Setting the Bar: By holding the opposition to less than 60 points in nine of 12 Sun Belt games, the Ragin’ Cajuns sit near the top of the conference in scoring defense in league play allowing the second-fewest points at 57.1 points per game (trailing only USM’s 54.8 ppg allowed).
- 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. Twice at Georgia Southern it was a charge drawn by Tamera Johnson that wiped out a potential three-point play for the Eagles. Last week vs. ULM and Troy, the Ragin’ Cajuns forced a combined 11 offensive fouls.
- It's an Art: Louisiana ranks Top 25 nationally, and second within the Sun Belt Conference, in turnovers forced per game (20.6). Fifteen (15) times – and in 11 of the last 16 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 30 of its last 39 Sun Belt Conference games.
UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
Louisiana wraps up the first half of its season-long, four-game road stretch on Saturday, February 11 taking on South Alabama in a 2:00 p.m. contest at the Mitchell Center in Mobile, Alabama.
The USA contest marks the start of a string of five consecutive rematches to close out the regular season.
Louisiana defeated South Alabama, 66-49, in the previous matchup held on Jan. 12 at the Cajundome.
FOLLOW THE RAGIN' CAJUNSFollow 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.
UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
Louisiana wraps up the first half of its season-long, four-game road stretch on Saturday, February 11 taking on South Alabama in a 2:00 p.m. contest at the Mitchell Center in Mobile, Alabama.
The USA contest marks the start of a string of five consecutive rematches to close out the regular season.
Louisiana defeated South Alabama, 66-49, in the previous matchup held on Jan. 12 at the Cajundome.
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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