11-24-2004, 10:43 AM
Cajuns to Play for Great Alaska Shootout Title
November 23, 2004
Anchorage, Alaska- Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns are off to a 3-0 start thanks to an 88-48 victory over Alaska Anchorage on Tuesday night at Sullivan Arena in the opening game of the Great Alaska Shootout.
The Cajuns shot 49 percent, to just 28 percent by the Seawolves.
The win sends Louisiana to the championship game versus the winner of Tuesday’s late game between No. 7 Stanford and Eastern Washington.
Shootout Player-of-the Game honors went to New Orleans native Ashley Blanche. The junior guard set a career high with 20 points, adding six assists to just two turnovers in 28 minutes.
Melissa Bratton came off the bench to score 20 points, while Anna Petrakova recorded her second double-double of the season with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
Despite poor outside shooting in the first half, UL held a 10-point lead at the break. Except for four three-pointers, the Cajuns scored all of their points in the paint.
The trend continued to begin the second half, as the Cajuns opened the final stanza with a 21-7 run via fast break lay-ups and inside baskets. Bernette Tolston hit the only outside shot, as Petrakova and Blanche each scored six points, Alexadra Kotta had four points and Tiffany Washington two points.
Washington stayed in the game, but four newcomers entered the line-up with just under 12 minutes to play and the Cajuns leading 58-36.
Freshman Sonora Edwards and Bratton helped extend the Cajuns lead.
Bratton had 11 points and Edwards added five as UL outscored UAA 19-8 over the next seven minutes to take a commanding 79-44 lead with 4:07 to play.
UL won the rebounding margin 50-33, including 28-12 in the second half.
The Cajuns started the game slowly, missing their first four shots. UAA jumped out to an 8-2 lead, but the Cajuns made four of their next five to close within one point, 12-11, at the 14:54 mark.
Both teams turned the ball over repeatedly for the next 3:24 until Blanche and UAA’s Stephanie Beason exchanged three-pointers.
Blanche scored again to start a short 7-0 run by the Cajuns, but UAA quickly countered with a 6-0 spurt in 1:06 to tie the game at 21-21 with 5:02 remaining.
Blanche then hit a long three-pointer as the shot clock expired to start another Cajuns burst that would put the Cajuns in front for good.
Petrakova hit a basket, before Blanche added her fifth basket of the half. Onna Charles converted a three-point play, before Tolston added a free throw to cap an 11-0 surge that gave the Cajuns a 32-21 lead with 1:25 on the clock.
UAA came back with two baskets, but Tolston knocked down a wide-open three to give UL a 35-25 lead at the half.
-Ragin' Cajuns-
November 23, 2004
Anchorage, Alaska- Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns are off to a 3-0 start thanks to an 88-48 victory over Alaska Anchorage on Tuesday night at Sullivan Arena in the opening game of the Great Alaska Shootout.
The Cajuns shot 49 percent, to just 28 percent by the Seawolves.
The win sends Louisiana to the championship game versus the winner of Tuesday’s late game between No. 7 Stanford and Eastern Washington.
Shootout Player-of-the Game honors went to New Orleans native Ashley Blanche. The junior guard set a career high with 20 points, adding six assists to just two turnovers in 28 minutes.
Melissa Bratton came off the bench to score 20 points, while Anna Petrakova recorded her second double-double of the season with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
Despite poor outside shooting in the first half, UL held a 10-point lead at the break. Except for four three-pointers, the Cajuns scored all of their points in the paint.
The trend continued to begin the second half, as the Cajuns opened the final stanza with a 21-7 run via fast break lay-ups and inside baskets. Bernette Tolston hit the only outside shot, as Petrakova and Blanche each scored six points, Alexadra Kotta had four points and Tiffany Washington two points.
Washington stayed in the game, but four newcomers entered the line-up with just under 12 minutes to play and the Cajuns leading 58-36.
Freshman Sonora Edwards and Bratton helped extend the Cajuns lead.
Bratton had 11 points and Edwards added five as UL outscored UAA 19-8 over the next seven minutes to take a commanding 79-44 lead with 4:07 to play.
UL won the rebounding margin 50-33, including 28-12 in the second half.
The Cajuns started the game slowly, missing their first four shots. UAA jumped out to an 8-2 lead, but the Cajuns made four of their next five to close within one point, 12-11, at the 14:54 mark.
Both teams turned the ball over repeatedly for the next 3:24 until Blanche and UAA’s Stephanie Beason exchanged three-pointers.
Blanche scored again to start a short 7-0 run by the Cajuns, but UAA quickly countered with a 6-0 spurt in 1:06 to tie the game at 21-21 with 5:02 remaining.
Blanche then hit a long three-pointer as the shot clock expired to start another Cajuns burst that would put the Cajuns in front for good.
Petrakova hit a basket, before Blanche added her fifth basket of the half. Onna Charles converted a three-point play, before Tolston added a free throw to cap an 11-0 surge that gave the Cajuns a 32-21 lead with 1:25 on the clock.
UAA came back with two baskets, but Tolston knocked down a wide-open three to give UL a 35-25 lead at the half.
-Ragin' Cajuns-
