Stephen F. Austin
Texas-Arlington
UTA Edges Out Ladyjacks on Buzzer Beater
1/27/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 27, 2007
ARLINGTON, Texas - Stephen F. Austin head coach Lee Ann Riley described Saturday's game against SLC-leading Texas-Arlington as a "heavyweight bout" prior to the game, and it lived up to the billing. Unfortunately for SFA fans, that bout went in favor of the Lady Mavs. UTA recorded a 57-56 win over the Ladyjacks Saturday afternoon after Terra Wallace nailed a running-scoop shot with only 0.3 seconds on the clock. The setback drops SFA to 13-7 on the season and 5-2 in league play.
The Ladyjacks opened the first half shooting better than 50 percent from the floor. SFA knocked down 11-of-19 (.579) of their shots in the opening half, and did a good job of frustrating UTA leading scorer Terra Wallace, holding her to only five points at halftime. The Ladyjacks struggled holding on to the ball in the first half recording 15 turnovers, but corrected the problem in the second half, finishing the game with only 19.
SFA trailed by as many as nine points in the first half and seven in second, but never allowed UTA out of striking distance. The final minutes of the second half continued the "heavyweight bout" theme as UTA scored on one end, and the Ladyjacks answered on the other.
SFA pulled to within one point, 55-54, with only 40 seconds on the clock, but UTA had the basketball. The Ladyjacks once again forced UTA into a bad look from beyond the arc. SFA got the rebound and called timeout to set up its final play.
Freshman Martina Holloway took the inbound pass up the floor, and let the clock run down to nine seconds. With only a few ticks remaining on the clock, Holloway cutback to her right and found Charity Egenti wide open under the basket for an easy layup. The bucket gave SFA a 56-55 lead with only five seconds remaining. But that is when Wallace stepped in to play the role of hero.
Wallace took the inbound pass and went the length of the floor. Despite the fact she had two Ladyjacks in her face, Wallace was able to scoop the ball in the air, which ricocheted off the glass and fell through the net. After a timeout, SFA inbounded the ball to junior Nikki Carr who let it fly from the other end of the floor. The shot came close but bounced off the backboard.
Egenti finished the game with 17 points and seven rebounds, while Carr added 16 points. Senior Evelyn Edwards and freshman Whitney Cormier each poured in 10.
The Lady Mavs were led by three players with 14 points, while Wallace finished the game with nine. It marked the second-straight season that SFA has come to Arlington and held Wallace, the defending SLC Player of the Year, to single digits.
The Ladyjacks return to action Wednesday, Jan. 31, when they travel to Corpus Christi, Texas, to take on the Islanders. The game against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi is slated to begin at 7 p.m. from the American Bank Center.
-SFA-
