UL Women Race Past Jackson St., 65-56

UL junior guard Kia Wilridge

Louisiana's Ragin' Cajun women's basketball team recorded a non-conference win on Sunday afternoon, defeating the Jackson St. Lady Tigers, 65-56, at the Cajundome.

The game marked the last non-conference match-up of the year for the Cajuns.

Louisiana jumped out to an early lead, gaining a 17-6 advantage at the 12:55 mark of the first half, before Jackson St. outscored UL, 16-5, over the next 10:30, to tie the game, 22-22, with 2:38 remaining in the initial half.

Leading, 26-25, with 1:14 left, Louisiana got a free throw from Kia Wilridge, followed by a Simone Fields lay-up, to take a 29-25 lead into the locker room at halftime.

The Cajuns out-shot the Lady Tigers in the first half, 38%-33%, while being out-rebounded, 20-16.

Wilridge led the way for Louisiana in the first half, scoring 10 points, while Ayanna Hardy-Fuller, Dominique Brothern, and Ayanna Lynn had 6 points apiece for Jackson St.

The Lady Tigers answered the bell to begin the second half, scoring the first 7 points, to take a 32-29 lead at the 17:43 mark, before the Cajuns responded with a 7-0 run of their own, to retake the lead, 36-32, with 15:57 to go.

Jackson St. refusing to go away, tied things up, 36-36, at the 14:16 mark, before Louisiana went on another 7-0 run, to grab a 43-36 advantage with 12:30 remaining.

The Lady Tigers were able to get within four points, 46-42, at the 9:46 mark, but that was as close as they would get, as the Cajuns led it by 11, 56-45, at the 6:43 mark, before going on to the 9-point win, and their fifth home victory of the season in six tries.

Louisiana ended the game out-shooting Jackson St. from the field, 36%-35%, while forcing 18 turnovers.

Keke Veal led the Cajuns, scoring a game-high 15 points, including 13 in the second half, while Wilridge added 12 points, to go along with a game-high 7 rebounds.

In a losing cause for the Lady Tigers, Hardy-Fuller tallied 10 points and six rebounds.

View the game box score.

With the victory, Louisiana improved to 8-1 on the season, while Jackson St. dropped to 3-8.

The Cajuns open Sun Belt Conference play on Tuesday night, against UALR in Little Rock, Arkansas.