Comeback Falls Short for Trojans at UL Lafayette

Wednesday, February 19

Lafayette, La.

7:00 p.m.

Troy University

9-15 5-8SBC

Louisiana-Lafayette

12-13 5-9SBC

Troy

UL Lafayette

Photo by: Chris Davis

Comeback Falls Short for Trojans at UL Lafayette

2/19/2014 9:48:00 PM | Basketball (W)

Box Score

By: Matt Mays

Box Score

LAFAYETTE, La. – The Troy women's basketball team made a second-half push, but a poor first half was too much to overcome in a 62-57 loss to UL Lafayette on Wednesday night at the Cajundome.

Troy (9-15, 5-8) scored just 15 points in the first half and trailed 32-15 at the break. The Trojans made just 4-of-24 (17 percent) from the field and for the second straight mid-week game, had a big deficit to overcome.

This time however, the Trojans nearly pulled the comeback. After trailing by as many as 18 points early in the second half, the Trojans used a 9-0 run to get within one at 45-44 with 5:00 to go.

The Trojans then went cold and missed seven straight shots as UL Lafayette (12-13, 5-8) responded with a 9-0 run of its own to extend the lead back to 10 points. Troy got within one possession with under a minute to go, but the Cajuns sealed the game at the free throw line.

Joanna Harden led all scorers with 27 points, including 23 in the second half as she was a key to Troy's comeback. Ronita Garrett had a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds and had three key offensive rebounds and putbacks during Troy's comeback.

Troy got itself into the first half hole with Harden on the bench in foul trouble for eight minutes. Just one game after scoring 59 points in the first half, Troy scored 15 in an arena it had never before played in.

Troy is now 1-6 all-time in Lafayette with all of the previous meetings coming at Earl K. Long Gym. The all-time series is now tied 7-7 after the two split this season's two meetings.

Jaylyn Gordon scored 12 for UL Lafayette as she hit 4-of-4 3-pointers to start the game and spark the Cajuns first-half run. Brooklyn Arceneaux finished with 17 points, including the final seven from the free throw line as she sealed the game down the stretch.

Troy did outrebounded UL Lafayette, 42-32, including 21 offensive rebounds and 11 second chance points. The Trojans worked the ball inside against an undersized Cajuns team, but shot just 29 percent (20-of-68) in the game and got outscored in the paint 18-14.

The Trojans remained in a three-way tie for sixth place in the Sun Belt standings after UL Monroe and South Alabama both lost, but UL Lafayette is now just a half game behind the three.

Troy will look to separate from the pack and pick up a season sweep on South Alabama when the Trojans and Jaguars tip off at 5 p.m. at the Mitchell Center in Mobile.

For more information on Troy Athletics, visit TroyTrojans.com. Fans can also find Troy on Twitter and Instagram at @TroyAthletics and on Facebook at Facebook.com/TroyAthletics.