HOUSTON – First year women’s basketball head coach Yolanda Wells-Broughton started a new era in Lady Tiger basketball with a 51-39 season opening victory over the University of Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns on Friday night at Delmar Fieldhouse.
TSU (1-0) was led by a strong team defensive performance as they held the Ragin’ Cajuns to 14-49 shooting and pressured them into committing 28 turnovers. Guard Trikeyia East (5-9, Jr., Houston) had a team-high nine rebounds in 39 minutes of play. Forward Inisha Daugtry (6-0, Jr., Dallas) added three key blocks late in the second half to seal the double-digit win for the Lady Tigers.
“They passed pretty decent but we felt that we were bigger, longer, a little more athletic than them; so our goal was to make them put it on the floor and pick it up, then we would send our traps,” said Wells-Broughton. “We felt if we were to pressure them it would dictate our offense.”
The Lady Tigers were down 19-21 at halftime, but turned it around in the second half by outscoring Louisiana-Lafayette 32-10. Camille Parks (PG, 5-4, Sr., Morrilton, Ark.) and Jasmine Cannon (G, 5-5, Fr., Dallas) had game-high 12-points each. Ten of Cannon’s 12-points came in the second half.
“In the first half I was a little shaky,” said Cannon. “But in the second half, I just knew that I had to go out and play my hardest for the team. So I just gave it my all and we all came together and got the win.”
Due to a power outage at TSU, the Lady Tigers had to practice at a local area high school throughout the week. The game was originally scheduled to be played at the Health and Physical Education Arena on the campus of TSU.
“It was a minor setback for a major comeback,” Wells-Broughton said. “I am so proud of my players. With the adversity they were faced with, it revealed their true character.”
TSU will be on the road at Texas A&M Corpus Christie on Monday, Nov. 18.
