Veal’s Hot Hand Propels Cajuns Past Texas State

Keke Veal shouldered the offensive load for the Ragin' Cajuns, and their defense finished off Texas State for another big win in conference play.

Garry Brodhead's defense forced Texas State into 21 turnovers, and they converted those turnovers into the same number of points (21 pts off turnovers) on the other end. The game was tied, 24-24, at halftime, but the Cajuns pulled away in crunch time for a 59-47 win on the road. With the win, the Cajuns improve to 18-7 overall and 11-5 in conference play.

Veal was on from the get-go. She had 13 points at the midway point, and she finished the game with her third highest point total of the season (25 points, 10-19 FG, 1-2 3-pt, 4-5 FT). Simone Fields helped out with a double-double (11 points, 10 rebounds) down low, and the Cajuns outshot Texas State as a team, 46 percent to 36 percent.

The most important stat of the game can be found in the foul column, where the Cajuns have had issues this season.

Teams attack Veal and Kia Wilridge in hopes of getting them out of the game, but they both only registered a single foul the entire game. Thanks to their discipline and a little help from the whistles, Veal played all 40 minutes and Wilridge only missed three minutes of action. When they stay on the court and get help from Fields in the post, the Cajuns are hard to beat.

Defensively, Brodhead's team is 8-1 when they hold opponents under 50 points. Their only loss came to Texas State earlier this season in the Cajundome, so they got to repay the favor on the road with the 59-47 victory.

There are only four games left before the Sun Belt Conference Tournament: two games on the road in the state of Alabama, then two games at home to close out the regular season. The Cajuns and Little Rock are competing neck and neck for the #2 seed and a bye, and UL has a chance to pick up some momentum before the madness takes us all over in March.