Lady Eagles Drop Tough Decision to Lady Mocs
2/7/2009 5:19:00 AM | Women's Basketball
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. ? Chattanooga went on an 11-2 run over the last two minutes of the game to snap a three-game win streak by the Georgia Southern women's basketball team as the Lady Eagles fell 58-48 Saturday afternoon (Feb. 7) in McKenzie Arena. Senior Ashley Melson (Newnan, Ga.) recorded her second career double-double, shooting a team-high 17 points and pulling down a team-high 10 boards. With the loss, Georgia Southern drops to 14-9 overall and 9-5 in Southern Conference play. The Lady Mocs extended its win streak to nine games with the win and improved to 18-6, 14-1.
Chattanooga won the tip and the lead early in the game. The Lady Mocs took a six point lead, 14-8, off a Shanara Hollinquest bucket seven minutes into the opening stanza. But Georgia Southern quickly rebounded and lessened Chattanooga's lead to two points, 16-14, after Jessica Geiger (Stone Mountain, Ga.), Melson and Brittney Nelson (Rochester, Mich.) drained a combined six points. The Lady Mocs chipped in three points before Samantha Williams (Kingsport, Tenn.) made two from the free throw line with 3:45 remaining in the first half. A jumper by Ashley Rivens (Charlotte, N.C.) pulled the Lady Eagles to within three points, 21-18, with just under three minutes. But a three by Jenaya Wade-Fray widened the score before Rivens closed out the half with two free throws. Georgia Southern trailed by four, 24-20, as they headed to the locker room.
Melson lead the Lady Eagles in the first half, contributing nine points to Georgia Southern's 20 percent shooting from the floor, and pulled down six rebounds. Chattanooga shot 24 percent in the opening half as Hollinquest chipped in nine points and secured seven boards for the Lady Mocs.
When play resumed, Krista Tate (Atlanta, Ga.) pulled Georgia Southern to within two points, 24-22, after Hollinquest missed two from the charity stripe and Tate responded with a jumper. It was a bucket-for-bucket affair as the Lady Eagles held to within two points through the first media timeout. Chattanooga widened their lead to six points, 34-28, by the second media timeout. At the 11:17 mark, Rivens scored a basket and J'Lisia Ogburn (Dublin, Ga.) was fouled on a made jumper. Ogburn's three point affair pushed the score to 35-33, Chattanooga.
Hollinquest hit one from the charity stripe before Jamie Navarro's (Naples, Fl.) jumper lessened Georgia Southern's deficit to one point, 38-37. Wade-Fray contributed two from the free throw line, but Melson nailed a three at the 6:09 mark to tie the game for the first time since two minutes into the game at 40-all.
The Lady Eagles kept the game to a couple possessions for the next five minutes. But Chattanooga pulled away and closed out the 58-48 win on an 11-2 run.
Both teams shot 29 percent from the floor, but the Lady Mocs went 25-of-36 (17-of-25 in the second half) from the free throw line to the Lady Eagles' 6-of-8. Wade-Fray led the Lady Mocs with 15 points. Hollinquest followed closely with 14 points and a team-high 11 boards (eight defensive).
“What a great game, it was championship caliber certainly,” said head coach Rusty Cram. “Chattanooga shooting 36 free throws was the difference in the game.”
Georgia Southern wraps up this two-game road trip with a trip to Samford. Tip-off in Birmingham is slated for 5:30 p.m. (CT), Monday (Feb. 9).
Chattanooga won the tip and the lead early in the game. The Lady Mocs took a six point lead, 14-8, off a Shanara Hollinquest bucket seven minutes into the opening stanza. But Georgia Southern quickly rebounded and lessened Chattanooga's lead to two points, 16-14, after Jessica Geiger (Stone Mountain, Ga.), Melson and Brittney Nelson (Rochester, Mich.) drained a combined six points. The Lady Mocs chipped in three points before Samantha Williams (Kingsport, Tenn.) made two from the free throw line with 3:45 remaining in the first half. A jumper by Ashley Rivens (Charlotte, N.C.) pulled the Lady Eagles to within three points, 21-18, with just under three minutes. But a three by Jenaya Wade-Fray widened the score before Rivens closed out the half with two free throws. Georgia Southern trailed by four, 24-20, as they headed to the locker room.
Melson lead the Lady Eagles in the first half, contributing nine points to Georgia Southern's 20 percent shooting from the floor, and pulled down six rebounds. Chattanooga shot 24 percent in the opening half as Hollinquest chipped in nine points and secured seven boards for the Lady Mocs.
When play resumed, Krista Tate (Atlanta, Ga.) pulled Georgia Southern to within two points, 24-22, after Hollinquest missed two from the charity stripe and Tate responded with a jumper. It was a bucket-for-bucket affair as the Lady Eagles held to within two points through the first media timeout. Chattanooga widened their lead to six points, 34-28, by the second media timeout. At the 11:17 mark, Rivens scored a basket and J'Lisia Ogburn (Dublin, Ga.) was fouled on a made jumper. Ogburn's three point affair pushed the score to 35-33, Chattanooga.
Hollinquest hit one from the charity stripe before Jamie Navarro's (Naples, Fl.) jumper lessened Georgia Southern's deficit to one point, 38-37. Wade-Fray contributed two from the free throw line, but Melson nailed a three at the 6:09 mark to tie the game for the first time since two minutes into the game at 40-all.
The Lady Eagles kept the game to a couple possessions for the next five minutes. But Chattanooga pulled away and closed out the 58-48 win on an 11-2 run.
Both teams shot 29 percent from the floor, but the Lady Mocs went 25-of-36 (17-of-25 in the second half) from the free throw line to the Lady Eagles' 6-of-8. Wade-Fray led the Lady Mocs with 15 points. Hollinquest followed closely with 14 points and a team-high 11 boards (eight defensive).
“What a great game, it was championship caliber certainly,” said head coach Rusty Cram. “Chattanooga shooting 36 free throws was the difference in the game.”
Georgia Southern wraps up this two-game road trip with a trip to Samford. Tip-off in Birmingham is slated for 5:30 p.m. (CT), Monday (Feb. 9).
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