NEW ORLEANS - A three-pointer with 5.2 seconds left by Whitney Dunlap
gave Louisiana-Lafayette a 58-56 victory over the University of New Orleans
on Thursday night.
UNO (12-14, 6-9 SBC) was led in defeat by
Le'Della English with 15 points.
Talishia Young added 13 while
Brittany Helm add 11. On the glass,
Candice McGee had a career-high with 12 rebounds.
Dunlap led ULL (6-20, 2-13 SBC) with 23 points which included six three-pointers. Alicia McDaniel had 14 while Sonora Edwards added 11 for the Ragin' Cajuns.
UNO got off to a slow start, making just 2 of 10 from the field to begin the contest as ULL jumped out to a 14-5 lead.
The Ragin' Cajuns would extend the lead to 12 at 19-7 before the Lady Privateers scored seven straight to get within five.
ULL remained on top entering the break as Dunlap completed her four three-pointer half with three in the final four minutes of first half action as the Ragin' Cajuns carried a 32-27 lead into the break.
English had 11 points in the opening 20 on 4 of 7 from the field including 3 of 5 from beyond the arc. McGee equaled her career-high of nine rebounds in the first half, a mark she had matched six previous times in her career.
The Lady Privateers got off to a strong start in the second half making their first five shots from the field to get within four points of ULL, but were not allowed to tie their foe until a Helm three-pointer with 5:37 remaining in the game tied the score at 48.
Another Helm basket put UNO on top 50-49, their first lead since the first half. The Lady Privateers would later extend their lead to four on two
Sarah Gayler free throws.
A three-point play by Dunlap would close the lead to one at 56-55 with 1:20 remaining in the contest. ULL would get two free throw chances, but Courtney Ratliff would miss them both.
The Ragin' Cajuns would get another shot, but Helm would come down with the rebound and call a timeout with 17.8 left. Helm missed the front end of a one and one giving ULL another chance.
Dunlap would make a three-pointer again, this time with 5.2 seconds left giving ULL a 58-56 lead. A UNO turnover would end the Lady Privateers chance to win the game.
The Lady Privateers head on the road to begin a two-game swing away from home, beginning with a 2 p.m (Central) contest on Sunday against SBC West rival Denver.
