MONROE, La. – The ULM women's basketball team (11-16, 7-9 Sun Belt) defeated the Ragin' Cajuns (12-14, 8-8 Sun Belt) in a new fashion this season, winning their first game within a five-point margin. This is also the first sweep of a week for ULM this season and the first win over Lafayette in Fant-Ewing Coliseum since 2013.
 
Jakayla Johnson led the team with 20 points, her ninth consecutive game scoring in double figures. She also picked up a season-high seven assists and two boards. Fellow senior and four-year Warhawk Katlyn Manuel also scored in double-digits, putting up 13 points and six rebounds. To round out the double-digit scorers, Sakyia White scored 11 points, posting six rebounds and three blocks. 
 
Johnson scored first with a mid-range jumper to put the Warhawks on the board. She then followed it up with a three to put ULM ahead. ULM added another basket by Meloney Thames to give the Warhawks a 7-0 run. ULM led the Cajuns 12-11 to close out the opening quarter, with the Cajuns shooting 25%. Johnson started the second quarter as well with a fastbreak layup to extend the Warhawk lead to three. Johnson hit double figures for her ninth-straight game, picking up 10 points early. The Cajuns took the lead with a triple to put them up by one. ULM fought back with back-to-back baskets by Laila Walker to bring the score within two. Manuel knocked down a tough layup to tie the game for ULM at 23 with two minutes left. The Warhawks finished the half trailing 28-23, the Cajuns' largest lead of the game.
 
The Warhawks was outscored 9-2 for three minutes of play bringing the Cajuns lead to seven. ULM answered back with a 7-0 run, bringing the game to a tie with 6:14 left in the third quarter. The Cajuns knocked down a couple of baskets to give the visitors a 38-34 lead. Thames hit a jumper to cut the lead to two in the final minutes. But a run by Lafayette gave them a six-point advantage at the end of the third quarter. Johnson hit a triple early in the fourth to cut the lead to three, but the Cajuns continued to fire back. A three-point play for Manuel gave the Warhawks the lead, giving ULM the momentum to finish it up. A Cianté Downs fastbreak layup gave ULM the five-point lead with 16 seconds remaining. A block for White secured the win for the Warhawks, 62-58.
 
The women's basketball team will hit the road for a final road trip of the regular season. The Warhawks will first go up against Marshall in Huntington, W.Va. on Wednesday (Feb. 26). Tip-off against the Thundering Herd is scheduled for 5 p.m. CT.