Ragin' Cajuns Host Alcorn State In Education Game

LAFAYETTE – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns women's basketball team returns to the Cajundome for one last tune up before Sun Belt Conference play begins when they host the Alcorn State Lady Braves on Wednesday, Dec. 20 in the fourth-annual education game with tip scheduled for 11 a.m.

The Cajuns enter the game having lost at LSU on Sunday, Dec. 17, and they bring a 4-7 record into the game against the Lady Braves. Louisiana hasn't dropped a game against Alcorn State in the past three previous matchups going back to 2013. While Alcorn State is 4-5 having lost their previous two games, and they haven't won a game since beating Tougaloo College on Nov. 30.

CAJUNS PLAY LSU TOUGH TILL THE END: On Sunday, the Cajuns made the trip to Baton Rouge, La. for their first matchup against LSU in 10 years. Although they lost the game, 60-45, the Cajuns played LSU tough from start to finish and it wasn't until the final quarter did they fall behind by double digits.

Through the game, they only trailed the Tigers by single digits at the end of each quarter. It was a four-point game at the end of the first quarter, and at halftime and the end of the third quarter the Tigers only led the Cajuns by six points respectively. But down the stretch, LSU pulled away from Louisiana to come away with the win.

Senior Simone Fields led the Cajuns in scoring with 12 points and she had seven rebounds while freshman Ty'Reonne Doucet scored a career high 10 points while adding seven rebounds of her own to the mix. Louisiana was strong in the paint as well, scoring 34 of their 45 points from the post and they shot 35 percent from the field in the game.

DOUCET LEARNS FAST: The young Ville Platte, La., product has had a strong showing for the Cajuns over the past two games coming off the bench. She's come off the bench averaging 19.5 minutes in the past two games, and she's made sure they're a productive 20 minutes.

Against Southeastern Louisiana (Dec. 13), Doucet led the Cajuns in rebounding grabbing 10 boards which was a career high in only 17 minutes of action. And at LSU she flipped the script scoring 10 points (career high) and grabbing seven rebounds in 22 minutes of action. She's quickly becoming a go to option for head coach Garry Brodhead when the Cajuns need productive minutes through the heart of the game.

SCORING FIELDS: Fields has led the Cajuns in scoring in three out of the last four games, averaging 15.8 points per game during that stretch. She's been shooting the basketball well during the past four games as well, shooting 73 percent from the field (24 for 33) while also crashing the boards averaging 5.5 rebounds per game. Through the first 11 games Fields ranks fourth in the conference in field goal percentage having shot 51 percent from the field so far this season.

CAJUNS CRASH THE DEFENSIVE BOARDS: After 11 games the Cajuns rank second in the conference in defensive rebounding percentage, as they're averaging 69 percent on the defensive end of the floor when it comes to grabbing rebounds and they've grabbed 280 defensive boards.

WHAT THE LADY BRAVES BRING: Alcorn State comes in on a two-game losing streak having lost to Oral Roberts (Dec. 15) 76-52 and Wichita State (Dec. 16) 87-46. The Lady Braves haven't won a game since beating Tougaloo College on Nov. 30, 76-64.

They're averaging 68.1 points per game while giving up 69.7 points per game. Alcorn State's shooting percentage is below 40 percent (38%) and they're allowing teams to shoot 43 percent from the field against them.

But the Lady Braves do move the ball well, averaging 13.4 assists per game and they're top 30 in the NCAA in steals per game averaging 11.6 through their first nine games of the season which puts them 28th in the nation.

Tia Sanders leads the Lady Braves in scoring with 18.3 points per game, while Alexus Freeman is scoring 16.1 points per game sitting just behind her. Sanders is shooting the ball well with a 49 percent shooting percentage (44% from three-point range) and she's a solid 78 percent from the free throw line.

Freeman is leading the team in assists (43) and steals (35) while shooting 31 percent from the field while Miracle Rushing is leading the team in rebounds averaging 8.7 boards per game while putting in 8.1 points per game.

HOW TO WATCH/LISTEN TO THE GAME: If you can't make it out to the Cajundome for the early tip, the game will be streamed for free on the Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network with Dan McDonald handling the play-by-play duties. On the radio, ESPN 1420 will carry the game with Steve Peloquin calling the game, with the pregame starting at 10:45 a.m.

CLEAR BAG POLICY/PARKING/TICKETS: In the interest of public safety and following the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) Best Practices Guide, the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Athletics Department is implementing a clear bag policy at all venues that host ticketed or non-ticketed events effective with the 2017-18 competition season. Information about this new policy can be found by visiting www.RaginCajuns.com/clearbag.

As for parking, it's free to park anywhere around the Cajundome for the game on Friday night, and tickets are all general admission pricing.

FOLLOWING THE RAGIN' CAJUNS: Follow the Cajuns on twitter @RaginCajunsWBB, for updates during the game, along with links to live stats, the streaming and the radio broadcast of the game. Links to the recap will also be posted on twitter post game as well.

#GEAUXCAJUNS

Ragin' Cajuns Host Alcorn State In Education Game

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Players Mentioned

Ty'Reona Doucet

Simone Fields

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