PENSACOLA, Fla. — The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns lost the rebound battle in Monday’s Sun Belt Conference Tournament Championship Game and it played a significant role in them losing an NCAA Tournament berth.
Troy pulled down 58 rebounds and scored 24 second-chance points in a 73-65 victory over Louisiana inside the Pensacola Bay Center. The Trojans have now defeated the Ragin’ Cajuns twice in the SBC Championship Game since 2017.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Jasmine Robinson made a second-chance three-pointer to start off the game for Troy. Louisiana got on the board with a driving layup by Jomyra Mathis but Troy answered right back with another three by Robinson.
Louisiana made it 6-4 after a layup by Kimberly Burton.
After a Alexus Dye layup, Louisiana cut it down to one point after a Brandi Williams three-pointer.
Neither team would score for the next two minutes until Troy closed out the quarter with a 6-0 run. At the end of the first, the Trojans held a 14-7 lead.
Louisiana would trim Troy’s lead down to two points after a layup by Destiny Mcafee and a three-pointer by Skyler Goodwin.
Troy responded by quickly pushing the lead to 18-12 but then Mcafee hit a pullup jumper for the Ragin’ Cajuns.
For the next 3:01, neither team would score until Troy put together a 12-3 run. With 2:50 left in the first half, Louisiana trailed 30-17.
After another scoreless stretch — this one lasting 1:30 — the two teams went back and forth in the final few minutes of the half. At the break, Troy held a 36-22 lead over Louisiana.
The Ragin’ Cajuns shot a mere 26.5 percent (9-of-34) from the field in the first half and were outrebounded 28-19.
Louisiana cut the lead to 10 points after Ty Doucet made a pair of layups.
Troy would not relinquish its double-digit lead until Goodwin hit a three-pointer with 4:28 left in the period. The Trojans entered the fourth with a 56-45.
Louisiana made it close to start the fourth as Goodwin hit a three-pointer, followed by a jumper by Mathis and then a three-pointer by Williams.
With 8:45, Troy’s lead had been cut to three points but the Trojans responded with an 8-0 run. Louisiana was unable to get it back down to a single possession again with the closest being six points after Williams hit a three-pointer with 1:26 left.
BIG NUMBER: 58
The Troy Trojans dominated the glass in Monday’s championship game. Troy pulled down 58 rebounds with Felmas Koranga leading the way with 22 rebounds. Troy actually had two players with double-digit rebound totals as Alexus Dye had 14 rebounds.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Skyler Goodwin & Brandi Williams
Goodwin recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Williams meanwhile scored 12 points as she went 4-of-7 from three-point range.
UP NEXT: Louisiana will now wait to find out its seeding in the Women’s NIT. The Women’s NIT bracket will be unveiled after the NCAA Tournament on Monday, March 15.