UL Women Fall To ULM In OT, 67-60

UL junior guard Kia Wilridge

Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajun women’s basketball team fell at home in Sun Belt Conference action on Monday, dropping a 67-60 overtime decision to the ULM Warhawks at the Cajundome.

The setback snapped Louisiana's three-game win streak.

With the game tied, 18-18, at the 9:50 mark of the first half, ULM went on an 11-1 run over the next 7:53, to grab a 29-19 lead with 1:57 left in the initial half.

With only :21 remaining in the first half, Jaylin Gordon nailed a three-pointer, to trim the ULM lead to 29-22 as the two teams went into the locker room at halftime.

ULM out-shot Louisiana in the first half, 50%-33%, with the Cajuns out-rebounding the Warhawks, 15-14, over the first 20 minutes.

Sharnice Brooks led the way for ULM in the first half, scoring 9 points, to go along with five rebounds, while Jaylin Gordon paced Louisiana with 11 points and a steal.

UL scored 13 of the first 16 points of the second half, and after Kia Wilridge converted a lay-up at the 15:07 mark of the second half, completing a run to take a 35-32 lead.

The two teams went back-and-forth over the next 13-plus minutes, and the game was tied, 47-47, with 2:47 remaining.

With 2:14 to go, Robbie Brown drained a three-pointer, to give the Cajuns a 50-47 advantage, before Jasmin Mills made good on a steal and a lay-in, to extend the lead to 52-47 with 2:08 to go.

The Warhawks refused to go away however, as Aundrea Davis canned a three-pointer of her own, which trimmed to Louisiana lead to 52-50 at the 1:55 mark.

Later, with only :40 to go, Wilridge hit 1-of-2 free throws, to give UL a three-point, 53-50 edge.

On the next ULM possession, Chelsea Tieuel hit a three-point shot, to tie the game, 53-53, and in the process, the Cajuns were whistled for a foul, sending Christina Gray to the line for two shots.

Gray made both free throws, giving ULM a 55-53 lead, in what turned out to be a 5-point possession, with only :25 left.

Wilridge, while driving to the rim, was fouled on UL's next possession, and went to the line, where she drained two clutch free throws with only :04 left, to send the game into overtime, 55-55.

The Warhawks made the extra five minutes theirs however, outscoring the Cajuns, 12-5, to leave with the 7-point win.

ULM finished the game out-shooting Louisiana from the floor, 45%-35%, while out-rebounding the Cajuns, 40-39.

Williams led the way for the Warhawks, finishing with 22 points and 7 rebounds, while Gray added 7 points and ten boards.

In a losing cause for the Cajuns, Wilridge finished with 14 points, five rebounds, and four steals, while Brown chipped in with 12 points.

View the game box score.

With the win, ULM improved to 6-10, overall, and 2-5 in Sun Belt Conference play, while Louisiana fell to 11-5, and 3-4, respectively.

The Cajuns return to action on Thursday, concluding their three-game homestand, when they host Arkansas St. as part of a day/night, women’s/men’s doubleheader at the Cajundome.