BOX SCORES (PDF)

PENSACOLA, Fla. – Third-seeded Louisiana opened up to a 12-0 advantage and cruised to a 71-46 win against sixth-seeded Texas State in the quarterfinal round of the Hercules Tires Sun Belt Conference Women’s Basketball Championship on Friday at the Pensacola Bay Center. 

Louisiana (18-6) advances to the Hercules Tires Sun Belt Conference Semifinals for the third consecutive year and will face the winner between second-seeded UTA and seventh-seeded Georgia Southern. That game was currently in progress at press time. The semifinal match-up will take place at 2 p.m. CT on Sunday and will be broadcast on ESPN+. 

The Ragin’ Cajuns relied on a powerful offensive punch from Makayia Hallmon and Lanay Wheaton, who scored 19 and 18 points, respectively. Hallmon was a Third-Team All-Sun Belt Conference selection in 2022. Five Louisiana players scored eight or more points in the game. 

For the game, Louisiana shot 54.7 percent (29-of-53) from the field, while limiting Texas State to 30.6 percent (15-of-49) shooting from the floor. The Ragin’ Cajuns out-rebounded the Bobcats 33-25. Louisiana also held a 32-14 edge in points in the paint. 

Texas State (15-14) was led by 12 points from Kennedy Taylor and 11 from Da’Nasia Hood. Both were selections to the 2022 All-Sun Belt Conference Teams.