LAFAYETTE, La. - The University of New Orleans women's basketball team
put together its best performance against a Division I program this
year, falling 80-63 to Louisiana-Lafayette at the CajunDome on Sunday
afternoon.
UNO (0-11) dominated ULL (7-5) 45-31 in the second half with the final tally of 63 points matching the team's season-high for offense from the Dec. 15 game against LeTourneau.
Dinnelle Cormier scored 16 points to pace a UNO team that surpassed 60 points for the second time in three games while topping their previous high of 47 against a Division I opponent from a loss to Southeastern Louisiana on Nov. 19.
Kendracia Valmont and
Megan Buckley scored 15 and 12 points, respectively.
Mirjam Sipos was the fourth player in double-figures for the Lady Privateers, scoring 10 points to go with her team-high of six rebounds.
All-Sun Belt preseason pick Mercedes Johnson led the Ragin' Cajuns with a 17-point, 19 rebound performance. Lyndra Bell topped all scorers with 19 points while Jasmine Barnes chipped in another 10.
The Ragin' Cajuns led 49-18 at the half. A
Tory Hearn three-pointer with 11:47 remaining in the opening half started a run for the Lady Privateers, who scored 16 of their opening half points in last 12 minutes prior to halftime.
The 18 first half points exceeded the total points scored in either half of the team's previous meeting.
The finish to the first half was a preview of the second half as UNO stormed out after the break by scoring 28 of the first 41 points scored
UNO outscored ULL 28-13 after the break in action to pull within 17 at 63-46 with 10:39 to go in the game. The 28 points scored in the first 9:21 of the second half was more than the Lady Privateers had scored in the previous meeting against the Ragin' Cajuns.
The 31-point deficit at the conclusion was brought down to 11 points at 74-63 with just over two minutes remaining.
The Lady Privateers will enjoy an 11-day break for the winter holidays before resuming play on Dec. 30 at the Human Performance Center against Auburn-Montgomery. Tip off is scheduled for 6 p.m.
