University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Lady Eagles Lose At TCU
2/8/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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Final Game Statistics
Lady Eagles Lose At TCU
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Southern Mississippi's Lady Golden Eagles (14-8, 2-7 C-USA) picked the wrong game to record its lowest shooting percentage of the year, and the result was a 76-45 loss to nationally-ranked TCU here Sunday afternoon. TCU improved to 18-4, 7-2 C-USA, with the victory.
The game ended a quick, two-game Texas swing for Head Coach Rick Reeves and his Eagles, who also played at Houston Friday night. Following today's game, Southern Miss returns home for the final two home games of the regular season, Feb. 13, against Cincinnati and Feb. 15, against Louisville. The Lady Eagles then will end the regular season with games at USF (Feb. 20), UAB (Feb. 22), and Tulane (Feb. 27).
In today's game, Southern Miss grabbed the opening lead, on a Lana Lewis three-pointer, but TCU tied it 45-seconds later on a Sandora Irvin basket, took the lead at 5-3 on a Natasha Lacy basket, and did not trail again, en route to a 37-20 halftime advantage. TCU converted 13-of-28 (.464) baskets in the first half, while the visiting Eagles managed just 7-of-32 (.219).
Southern Miss' shooting improved only slightly in the second half, when the Lady Eagles made 10-of-32 (.313) baskets, to finish the game at 17-of-64 (.266). TCU ended the game at .433, on 26-of-60 shooting.
The winners put four players in double figures, with Kim Ortega leading the way with 15 points. Irvin and Ebony Shaw added 12 each and Adrianne Ross had 11. Michelle Poindexter led all scorers with 17 points for the Lady Eagles, Southern Miss' only double-figure scorer.
Southern Miss did convert 8-of-10 from the free throw line, but, while not shooting as well, TCU had more chances and finished 16-of-25 from the line. USM also made only 3-of-17 from three-point range, TCU 8-of-19. Each team had 23 turnovers in the game
TCU also had a healthy margin in the rebounding department, 50-36. Irvin and Natasha Lacy had 10 each for the winners, the same number recorded by Southern Miss' Lotte Hulshof.
