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YSU can’t keep up with Ragin’ Cajuns
Foul trouble helps
ULL pull away
By NICK FONTENOT
LAFAYETTE, La.
Louisiana-Lafayette’s athleticism didn’t surprise Youngstown State coach John Barnes, but the Ragin’ Cajuns still put three players in double figures en route to a 69-49 win in the WBI semifinals Wednesday night.
Within the first five minutes, Sarah Cash and Janae Jackson each had two personal fouls, crippling the Penguins’ ability to go inside. YSU’s 3-point shooting kept it in the game in the first half, as they hit 6-of-15 from behind the arc in the first half. But they finished 8-of-28.
“The 3 has been our strength this year and early on they were going in,” Barnes said. “The problem is, if they don’t keep going in, it makes it tough. We didn’t have an inside game because of the foul trouble and we always work from the inside out. We couldn’t go in and we didn’t get a lot of rhythm 3s in the second half.
“[ULL] did a great job of getting to our 3-point shooters in the second half and making us put it on the floor and do different things.”
Nikki Arbanas’ three 3-pointers in the game help her set the single-season school record for 3-pointers with 89. Arbanas matched Jackson with a team-high 11 points for YSU (21-13). Barnes said having a sophomore who can stroke it like her looks bright for the future.
“Nikki was one of the ones that kept us in it,” Barnes said. “She is only a sophomore and she has plenty more to make. It’s very exciting for the future.”
Kia Wilridge led ULL (24-10) with 22 points, Keke Veal added 19 points and eight rebounds and Simone Field had 16 points and eight rebounds.
The Cajuns were only up 38-33 and ULL coach Garry Brodhead said his team was definitely concerned with the Penguins’ 3-point shooting in the first half.
“We were fazed in the first half,” Brodhead said. “We talked about it all week how we needed to play tight and close out, but it’s harder to be out on the perimeter and do that. In the second half, we knew if we really wanted to win the game, we couldn’t play off the ball. We held them to six points [in the third quarter] because we closed out on them. We were a lot better in the second half.”
The Penguins went cold in the second half from 3-point range, hitting just 2-of-13. Barnes said the foul trouble in the post affected their ability to execute offensively.
“Our two post players basically couldn’t play the whole first half,” Barnes said. “Our perimeter players did a great job keeping us in it. They made a lot of 3s. We hung in there for quite a while, but you can only hang on for so long. They started to build up a lead and it got away from us after a while.”
With what the Penguins have been able to accomplish this season, Barnes said the season was a success. He commended the Ragin’ Cajuns on having a team that is good enough to win the whole tournament and said the Penguins should hold their heads high.
“We knew they were athletic and they’re a great team,” Barnes said. “To have a guard as good as Keke Veal, you have to focus on her so much and frees up the other players to do some things.
“I am really proud of my team. We are a really young team and to make the semifinals of this tournament and win 21 games, they should hold their heads up high. It’s always disappointing to lose, but I hope they realize the great season they had.”