Lady Eagles? Comeback Bid Comes Up Short
12/4/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Files associated with this release:
Southern Miss-American Box Score
Columbia-Austin Peay Box Score
Lady Eagles? Comeback Bid Comes Up Short
Deondra Carter had a team-high 14 points Saturday against American. |
? Down by double-digits to American for the majority of the second half, the Lady Eagle basketball team cut the lead down to four on two occasions, but came up short 66-56 in the Lady Eagle Classic consolation game.
With the loss, Southern Miss falls to 2-3 on the season. American improves to 5-2 on the year.
This marks the first time since the Lady Eagle Classic was created in 1982, that Southern Miss lost both games in the tournament. Southern Miss is now 30-4 in the Lady Eagle Classic.
?It?s disappointing,? Head Coach Joye Lee-McNelis said. ?When you host a tournament, you expect to win it. It?s embarrassing to show up on your home floor and not protect it. We?re not a good team, but we will get better. ?
Southern Miss committed 13 first-half turnovers, which American converted into 18 points, as the Lady Eagles were down 37-25 at halftime.
In the second half, the Lady Eagles were down by 19, 47-28 at the 14:50 mark, but used a 14-3 run to cut the lead to eight, 50-42 with 6:56 to play in the game.
The Lady Eagles cut the lead to four a jumper and free throw by Deondra Carter, and again to four on to Carter free throws with 4:20 remaining.
But that was as close as the Lady Eagles would get, as American used 12-6 run to close out the game.
American took advantage of 25 Southern Miss turnovers, converting them into 28 points. Both teams shot 42.6 from the field. Southern Miss held the rebounding edge, 34-30.
Southern Miss placed three players in double-digit scoring, led by Deondra Carter?s 14 points. Shannon Stueber and Dianca Jones each had 11.
Tala Hadavi had a game-high 16 points for American.
In the championship game, Columbia defeated Austin Peay 62-42 to claim the title game. Edytte Key led the Lions with 10 points wile Robin Leslie led Austin Peay with 10 points.
Columbia's Lisa Copeland earned the tournament's most valuable player. Other all-tournament team members included Erin Jaschik of Columbia, Kera Bergeron and Ashley Haynes of Austin Peay, Tala Hadavi of American and Deondra Carter of Southern Miss.
The Lady Eagles return to action Tuesday, Dec. 7, at Louisiana-Monroe, in a 7 p.m., contest.