The Louisiana women’s basketball team opened up the 2021-22 season with a 84-58 victory over Texas A&M-Kingsville on Tuesday.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Tamera Johnson set the tone with her first shot.
The Louisiana redshirt freshman stepped up and drained a three-pointer which sparked the Ragin’ Cajuns. After a pair of layups by Ty Doucet and Brandi Williams, Louisiana had raced out to a 7-0 lead in less than two minutes.
Texas A&M-Kingsville’s Jayde Tschritter gave the Javelinas their first bucket with seven minutes left in the first quarter. That five-point deficit proved to be the smallest lead Louisiana would have in the first half.
Louisiana pushed its lead up to as high as 20 after Alicia Blanton made a driving layup with 20 seconds in the first half. At the break, the Ragin’ Cajuns held a comfortable 41-23 lead and Johnson had 16 points on 6-of-6 shooting.
Louisiana pushed its lead up to 26 points midway through the third quarter when Makayia Hallmon drained a three-pointer. Lanay Wheaton’s three pointer moments later made it a 28-point lead and then a Lanay layup pushed it all the way to 29 points.
The Ragin’ Cajuns cruised the rest of the way on way to a 26-point victory.
BIG NUMBER: 4
Louisiana had four players score in double figures in Tuesday’s opener. Tamera Johnson led all scorers with 16 points while Brandi Williams added 12, Makayla Hallmon and Ty Doucet added 10 each.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: TAMERA JOHNSON
The redshirt freshman and former Lafayette Christian star led all scorers with 16 points, including shooting 6-for-6 from the field in the first half.
UP NEXT: Louisiana (1-0) plays at Rice on Saturday. Tip is set for noon.