LAKE CHARLES—McNeese women's basketball will travel down the road to Lafayette Saturday for its WBI second round game at in-state rival Louisiana-Lafayette. Tip off is set for 7 p.m. at the Earl K. Long Gym. Tickets are $10 and may be purchased by calling (337) 265-2357 or (337) 265-2100, or through ticketmaster (ticketmaster.com). Children under the age of 2 will be admitted free.
The teams will meet for the 42
nd time with the Cajuns holding a 28-13 all-time record. McNeese has won the last two meetings and the teams last met on Dec. 21, 2011 with the Cowgirls taking that game 80-59 in Lafayette.
Both programs have ties between them, especially among the coaching staffs. McNeese assistant coach
Kacie Cryer played for UL-Lafayette's head coach Garry Brodhead's Teurlings Catholic High team from 2001-2004 where she helped the Lady Rebels to the 2002 state championship and the 2004 runner-up.
On the UL-Lafayette staff, three coaches have ties to McNeese. Brodhead served five years under head coach Brooks Donald Williams, serving as associate head coach in his last two years before being named the Cajuns' head coach. Associate head coach Sallie Guillory was a McNeese assistant for three years and assistant coach Jordan Hines played for the Cowgirls from 2010-2012
McNeese (18-13), the West Region's no. 6 seed is coming off an 87-70 win over the no. 3 seed Furman on Thursday. The Cowgirls got offensive production from 11 players that scored at least two points. Four Cowgirls scored in double figures with junior guard
Jayln Johnson leading the way with 16.
Allison Baggett and
Victoria Rachal both scored 13 and
Amber Donnes chipped in 11.
Baggett and Johnson continue to lead McNeese in scoring with 16.1 ppg. and 13.5 ppg., respectively. Baggett also leads the Cowgirls with a 34.0 three-point field goal percent and an 87.8 free throw shooting percent. Johnson leads the team with 5.6 assists per game. Senior
Talisa Boyd leads the Cowgirls with 7.7 rpg. and freshman
Frederica Haywood is averaging 7.1 per game.
UL-Lafayette (20-12), the region's no. 2 seed is coming off a 78-56 home win over no. 7 seed UT-Pan American on Thursday.
The Cajuns have three players averaging in double figures with Keke Veal leading the team with 14.0 ppg. and 3.3 assist per game. Jayln Gordon is averaging 15.5 ppg. and Kia Wilridge is averaging 12.5 ppg. Wilridge also leads the team with 4.8 rebounds.
