For Immediate Release: Monday, February 03, 2003
Contact: Dave Geringer, UTPA Sports Information Director, (956) 381-2240

LADY BRONCS FALL TO LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE, 66-41

EDINBURG, TX-Louisiana-Lafayette blocked nine shots and held The University of Texas-Pan American's women's basketball team to just 26.8 per cent from the field en route to a 66-41 victory at the UTPA Fieldhouse Monday night.

The Ragin' Cajuns scored the first nine points of the game, then outscored the Lady Broncs, 14-2 during the final 10 minutes of the first half to take a 26-13 lead at the intermission.

A layup by senior forward Naima Williams (Houston, TX/Clear Brook HS) gave Texas-Pan American their first points of the game with 13:36 to go in the first half. Senior forward Julie Porter (Manchester, MI/ Manchester HS/Kalamazoo Valley JC) followed with three layups and junior guard Amanda Carlow (Pine Ridge, SD/Rapid City CHS/Northeast CC) added a three-pointer as UTPA used an 11-3 run to close to within a single point, 12-11, with 10:05 remaining. Senior guard Alex Gravel (Chicoutimi, Quebec/Vanier HS) made a jump shot with 5:40 to play in the first half, but the Ragin' Cajuns scored 14 of the final 16 points in the first half to take a 13-point halftime advantage.

A 16-9 run at the start of the second half gave Louisiana-Lafayette a 22-point lead at 44-22, and the Ragin' Cajuns stretched their lead to 29 points with 7:45 remaining.

Gravel and sophomore guard Jennifer Piwonka (Louise, TX/Louise HS) led the Lady Broncs with 10 points each, while Porter added eight. Charlotte Green of Louisiana-Lafayette led all scorers with 22 points, and Sarah Richey added 15. Texas-Pan American was held to 15 of 56 shots from the field, made just eight of 18 from the free throw line, and had eight shots blocked, four by Richey and three by Anna Petrakova. Ashley Blanche had nine points and 10 assists.

"I thought that we were intimidated offensively," said UTPA Interim Head Coach Tracy Anderson. "We got some good looks at the start of the game, but they switched to an aggressive man-to-man, and we struggled against that. We let them dictate things. I thought we could score in the paint, we didn't do a good job of finishing, or of getting to the free throw line."

The Lady Broncs fell to 4-18 with the defeat. Louisiana-Lafayette improved to 5-14 with the victory. The Lady Broncs will return to action when they visit Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Saturday afternoon.

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