Louisiana Lets Loose On Texas State For Dominant Win

From the moment the game tipped off to the final whistle, the Ragin' Cajuns absolutely dominated Texas State.

The Bobcats beat Louisiana by more than 20 points in their first meeting this season, but the Ragin' Cajuns got some sweet payback at home in the Cajundome on Thursday.

Texas State didn't stand a chance. Louisiana jumped on the Bobcats early, and Garry Brodhead's team never let go of the pressure in the 62-43 smothering victory.

"I think we did a great job of sticking to the game plan. The first quarter was phenomenal," Brodhead said after the game.

The first quarter was completely one-sided. Louisiana outscored Texas State, 18-3, and the Bobcats had more turnovers than made field goals. Things didn't get much better in the second quarter, where the Cajuns added six more points to their lead. At halftime, Louisiana led 35-14, which was far too much for Texas State to overcome.

It appears Louisiana is playing their best basketball of the season at the right time of the year. Nekia Jones is adding an incredible dimension to their offense, and a couple youngsters are showing up, big time, for Brodhead.

Jones chipped in 12 points, five rebounds and two assists, but the star of the show was the Sun Belt's leading scorer, Jaylyn Gordon.

It was also Gordon's last game in the Cajundome, and the senior made the most of her opportunity with 20 points and four assists. Brodhead spoke about Gordon and fellow senior Gabby Alexander's journeys with the program after the game.

"They stuck through it, thick and thin," Brodhead said. "We went through a lot with both of them, but they stuck it out."

This was the seniors' last game in the Cajundome, but they still have a few games left. It's up to them how far the team goes in the postseason, with the help of the future stars of the program.

Troi Swain, who scored 11 points off the bench, is coming along nicely at the guard position to help out Gordon, and Jones and Simone Fields are developing chemistry in the high post and in the paint. The pieces are falling into place for something special.

"We're starting to come into our own at the right time, and hopefully we can continue doing that," Brodhead said with his signature smile.

The win brings Louisiana's record to 17-9 and 11-6 in Sun Belt play, and they're tied for third place in the conference. They already defied the odds this season, but can they put a cherry on top of the success in the conference tournament?