Box Score

LAFAYETTE, La. – The seventh-seeded University of Texas-Pan American Broncs women's basketball team fell to the second-seeded University of Louisiana at Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns 78-56 on Thursday at Earl K. Long Gym in the opening round of the Women's Basketball Invitational.
 
Senior Brittany Bush led the Broncs (19-15) with her fifth double-double of the season, scoring 12 points with 11 rebounds and five blocks. With 45 blocks, Bush finished with the fifth most blocks in a single-season in program history.
 
Four Ragin' Cajuns (20-12) reached double-figures, led by Kia Wilridge, who scored 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting with four steals. Simone Fields scored 14 points on 5-of-5 shooting plus 4-of-6 from the line. Keke Veal scored 12 points with five assists. Jaylyn Gordon scored 11 points.
 
The first 16 minutes featured a back and forth affair, as neither team led by more than one possession. With 3:25 remaining in the first half, however, senior Cha'zaye Wright nailed a three and Bush made a free throw to cap a 7-0 run as the Broncs went up 24-19.
 
After a Wilrdige jumper, senior T'Ondria Nolen converted a three-point play to give the Broncs their largest lead of the half at 27-21.
 
The Ragin' Cajuns tied the game early in the second half, but the Broncs hit five of their next seven shots to power an 11-6 run and go up 38-33 with 14:54 remaining.
 
The Broncs still led by five at 40-35, but the Ragin' Cajuns, however, hit 14 of their next 16 shots while outscoring the Broncs 34-12 to take a 70-52 lead and push the game out of reach. The Ragin' Cajuns scored the last 14 points of that run.

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