The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns dropped their second consecutive Sun Belt Conference game with a 58-51 loss to visiting Texas State on Wednesday evening.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Louisiana grabbed an early lead as Lanay Wheaton made a jumper and then a three-pointer on back-to-back possessions. By the halfway point of the first, Texas State had managed to tie the game 7-7 with a layup by Jaeda Reed. The two squads traded buckets the rest of the first and the period ended with the Bobcats and Ragin’ Cajuns tied at 11.
Texas State took the lead by starting the second with a 6-2 run and led 17-13 at the first media timeout. Louisiana fought back and cut the lead down to two points twice in the final two-plus minutes. The Bobcats managed to push it back to four with a pair of late Da’nasia Hood free throws.
At the break, the Ragin’ Cajuns trailed 23-19.
Louisiana started the third with a 6-2 run which tied the game but Texas State responded with back-to-back buckets. A few minutes later, the Bobcats pushed their lead to 40-29.
Louisiana climbed right back into the game with an 8-0 run before Texas State’s Reed made a layup with seven seconds left in third.
Texas State maintained its lead against Louisiana for most of the fourth as the Bobcats didn’t let their lead dip below five points.
BIG NUMBER: 26
In the first game between the two teams in San Marcos, Texas State’s Da’Nasia Hood was held to a mere four points. The Bobcats didn’t have any troubles scoring Wednesday night as she had a game-high 26 points on 9-of-16 shooting.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: LANAY WHEATON
The Ragin’ Cajuns guard led the team with 23 points on 9-of-22 shooting and 4-of-13 from three-point range. Wheaton also had five rebounds.
UP NEXT: Louisiana (16-13, 10-7 SBC) wraps up the regular season at home on Friday against Southern Miss. Tip is set for 5 p.m.