Cram Earns 200th Career Victory with 62-61 Victory Over Wofford
2/23/2009 5:19:00 AM | Women's Basketball
SPARTANBURG, S.C. ? Georgia Southern held a one point lead with 11 seconds to play as senior Ashley Melson was fouled by Liz Miller sending the Eagle to the charity stripe with one second on the game clock. Melson's attempts failed to drop leaving :07 on the clock as Liz Miller's last second shot failed to net as the Lady Eagles walked away with a 62-61 Southern Conference victory Monday afternoon (Feb. 23) in Benjamin Johnson Arena.
Head coach Rusty Cram reached a milestone with the victory that marked his 200th career win. Cram now boasts a 200-176 career record in his 13 years at the helm of the Georgia Southern women's basketball program. Three Eagles scored in double figures in the SoCon win that lifted the Lady Eagles to a 16-12 overall record and an 11-8 conference mark.
Senior Ashley Rivens (Charlotte, N.C.) tied her career high in three-pointers within the first half, connecting on 4-of-5 as she led the Lady Eagles to a 55.6 shooting percentage from behind the three point arc (5-of-9). Georgia Southern took the lead at the 17:26 mark and held it until Wofford tied the game at 19-all off a Mahagony Williams jumper with 7:02 remaining. Trailing by as many as seven points, the Terriers pushed their way back into the ballgame with a 7-2 run from Kate Dempsey, Maddie Helms and Kelly Dwyer buckets before Williams drained her game-tying bucket.
The Lady Eagles responded with a 9-2 run of their own to take the game to a 28-20 margin by the fourth media timeout. Georgia Southern continued to widen its lead in the final three minutes of the half and headed to the locker room with a 33-26 advantage.
Rivens scored 14 of her 19 points in the first half as J'Lisia Ogburn (Dublin, Ga.) secured a team-high five rebounds. The Lady Eagles shot 34 percent from the field to Wofford's 31 percent led by Helms with seven points and Williams and Miller with six boards each.
Wofford climbed its way back into the contest to start the second half. Georgia Southern led by five, 43-37, at the second media timeout before Dwyer was called on a technical foul on Samantha Williams (Kingsport, Tenn.) at 10:21. Jamie Navarro (Naples, Fla.) took the courtesy free throws, hitting one before Williams hit one of two with her visit, extending the Lady Eagles' lead to seven.
With a one point lead, Wofford had the chance to tie or take the lead in the second half when Dempsey failed to connect on a one and one at the line. The Lady Eagles increased their lead when Melson added three points off the front half of a pair of free throws and a jumper at the buzzer making it a two possession game, 55-51, with 5:29 remaining.
Liz Miller took consecutive trips to the charity stripe, going 2-of-4 as Melson was called on a foul sending Williams to the line. Williams hit the back half of the two free throws to cut the lead down to one point, 55-54.
Wofford tied the game for the fourth time when the Georgia Southern bench was called with a technical foul at the 3:30 marker and Natalie Gramblin capitalized on the free trip to the line. Georgia Southern pushed it back out to a five point game before the last second plays occurred as the Lady Eagles secured the win.
“[Ashley] Rivens played very well tonight,” said Cram. “I thought we never had any rhythm the whole night. Wofford played very well and we dodged a big bullet on the road.”
Rivens led all scorers with 19 points in the game; Melson followed with 16 and Ogburn finished the game with 10. Ogburn and Melson each secured seven boards for the Eagles who were outrebounded 53-41. Georgia Southern scored 23 points off 21 Wofford turnovers. Wofford's 36 percent shooting was provided by four Terriers in double figures. Miller led with 14 points and was followed by Williams (13), Dempsey (11) and Helms (10).
Georgia Southern returns to action and wraps up its 2009 regular season campaign when they make one last trip to Appalachian State on Saturday, February 28. Tip-off in Boone, N.C. is slated for 1 p.m.
Head coach Rusty Cram reached a milestone with the victory that marked his 200th career win. Cram now boasts a 200-176 career record in his 13 years at the helm of the Georgia Southern women's basketball program. Three Eagles scored in double figures in the SoCon win that lifted the Lady Eagles to a 16-12 overall record and an 11-8 conference mark.
Senior Ashley Rivens (Charlotte, N.C.) tied her career high in three-pointers within the first half, connecting on 4-of-5 as she led the Lady Eagles to a 55.6 shooting percentage from behind the three point arc (5-of-9). Georgia Southern took the lead at the 17:26 mark and held it until Wofford tied the game at 19-all off a Mahagony Williams jumper with 7:02 remaining. Trailing by as many as seven points, the Terriers pushed their way back into the ballgame with a 7-2 run from Kate Dempsey, Maddie Helms and Kelly Dwyer buckets before Williams drained her game-tying bucket.
The Lady Eagles responded with a 9-2 run of their own to take the game to a 28-20 margin by the fourth media timeout. Georgia Southern continued to widen its lead in the final three minutes of the half and headed to the locker room with a 33-26 advantage.
Rivens scored 14 of her 19 points in the first half as J'Lisia Ogburn (Dublin, Ga.) secured a team-high five rebounds. The Lady Eagles shot 34 percent from the field to Wofford's 31 percent led by Helms with seven points and Williams and Miller with six boards each.
Wofford climbed its way back into the contest to start the second half. Georgia Southern led by five, 43-37, at the second media timeout before Dwyer was called on a technical foul on Samantha Williams (Kingsport, Tenn.) at 10:21. Jamie Navarro (Naples, Fla.) took the courtesy free throws, hitting one before Williams hit one of two with her visit, extending the Lady Eagles' lead to seven.
With a one point lead, Wofford had the chance to tie or take the lead in the second half when Dempsey failed to connect on a one and one at the line. The Lady Eagles increased their lead when Melson added three points off the front half of a pair of free throws and a jumper at the buzzer making it a two possession game, 55-51, with 5:29 remaining.
Liz Miller took consecutive trips to the charity stripe, going 2-of-4 as Melson was called on a foul sending Williams to the line. Williams hit the back half of the two free throws to cut the lead down to one point, 55-54.
Wofford tied the game for the fourth time when the Georgia Southern bench was called with a technical foul at the 3:30 marker and Natalie Gramblin capitalized on the free trip to the line. Georgia Southern pushed it back out to a five point game before the last second plays occurred as the Lady Eagles secured the win.
“[Ashley] Rivens played very well tonight,” said Cram. “I thought we never had any rhythm the whole night. Wofford played very well and we dodged a big bullet on the road.”
Rivens led all scorers with 19 points in the game; Melson followed with 16 and Ogburn finished the game with 10. Ogburn and Melson each secured seven boards for the Eagles who were outrebounded 53-41. Georgia Southern scored 23 points off 21 Wofford turnovers. Wofford's 36 percent shooting was provided by four Terriers in double figures. Miller led with 14 points and was followed by Williams (13), Dempsey (11) and Helms (10).
Georgia Southern returns to action and wraps up its 2009 regular season campaign when they make one last trip to Appalachian State on Saturday, February 28. Tip-off in Boone, N.C. is slated for 1 p.m.
2026 Only For Southern
Thursday, February 26
2026 Georgia Southern Football Ticket Video
Wednesday, February 25
The GATA Zone - Air Rifle
Thursday, February 19
WBB Postgame - Coastal Carolina (2/14)
Saturday, February 14
