UL Women Win Double-Overtime Thiller Over ULM, 68-65

Louisiana's Ragin' Cajun women's basketball team picked-up a big Sun Belt Conference road win on Thursday, defeating the ULM Warhawks in double-overtime, 58-46, in Monroe, La.

With the win, their 8th in their last 11 games, Louisiana avenged a 67-60 overtime setback to ULM back on January 19 at the Cajundome.

Trailing, 6-5, Adrienne Prejean hit a jumper in the paint at the 15:58 mark to give the Cajuns an 8-7 lead, one they would not relinquish for the remainder of the half, extending the advantage to as many as 7 points, 24-17, before eventually taking a 29-23 lead into the locker room at halftime.

ULM out-shot Louisiana from the field in the first half, 45%-44%, while also out-rebounding UL, 15-9, over the first 20 minutes, but the Cajuns went 4-of-7 from beyond the three-point arc, including 3 first half three-pointers from Jaylin Gordon, while also forcing 12 turnovers.

Louisiana started the second half strong, out-scoring ULM, 11-2, over the first 6:22 of the second half, to extend their lead to a game-high 15 points, 40-25, with 13:38 remaining.

The Warhawks refused to give up however, going on an 20-5 run over the next 8:35, to tie the game, 45-45, with 4:48 to go.

The Cajuns grabbed the lead right back, courtesy of an Alexis Nezianya free throw at the 4:01 mark, making it 46-45.

ULM took their first lead of the game since the opening 5 minutes on their next possession, when Brooks hit a jumper at the 3:22 mark, giving them a 47-46 advantage, before Daja Chase converted two free throws at the 2:45 mark, extending the lead to 49-46.

Louisiana, in need of a big shot, got one from Gordon, who hit a clutch three-pointer, her fifth of the game, to even the game, 49-49, with 1:46 to go.

With :51 left Brooks made good on a short jumper, to give the Warhawks a 51-49 lead, but Kia Wilridge answered for the Cajuns, putting home a lay-up with :47 to go, to once again tie the game, 51-51.

Both teams had chances to score over the last :47, but both were unsuccessful, and the two teams went into overtime for the second time in two meetings this year.

Down, 55-54, in the overtime period, Wilridge hit three key throws, giving Louisiana a 57-55 lead.

Chase came through in a big way for ULM however, hitting a shot in the paint with :11 to go, to tie the game, 57-57, and send it into a second overtime.

ULM held a 61-60 lead in the second overtime, but Gordon gave Louisiana the lead with her career-best seventh three-pointer, 63-61.

Gordon later converted two clutch free throws with under :30 left, to give UL a 68-65 lead, and the eventual 3-point victory.

ULM out-shot Louisiana from the field, 47%-33%, while also finishing with a 36-30 rebound advantage, but the Cajuns hit 8 three-pointers, while holding the Warhawks to only one, and forced 31 turnovers.

Gordon led the way for the Cajuns, finishing with a career-high 29 points, while Keke Veal added 19 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists.

In a losing cause for the Warhawks, Brooks finished with 29 points and 6 rebounds.

View the game box score.

With the victory, Louisiana improved to 16-7, overall, and 8-6 in Sun Belt Conference play, while ULM dropped to 10-13, overall, and 6-8 in league play.

The Cajuns return to action on Saturday, when they remain on the road to take on the Troy Trojans for a 2 o'clock Sun Belt Conference match-up.