Stephen F. Austin
Sam Houston State
SHSU Rallies to Defeat Ladyjacks
1/10/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 10, 2009
HUNTSVILLE, Texas - Despite a double-double from junior Whitney Cormier (16 points, and 13 rebounds) and a 14-point outing from sophomore Jordan Ford, the Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks dropped a 68-65 decision to Sam Houston State. The Ladyjacks are now 5-8 on the season, and 0-1 in Southland Conference play.
The Ladyjacks appeared to be cruising to a conference opening victory, leading by 14 points with 12:54 remaining, but that is when the Bearkats got hot. SHSU outscored the Ladyjacks, 30-13, in the final 12:54 of the contest.
The Bearkats jumped out to an early five point lead, 17-12, behind a quick offensive start. SHSU connected on 6-of-their-first-10 shots to take the advantage. But the Ladyjacks went to work on the glass outrebounding SHSU, 28-22, in the opening half to take their first lead of the game, 18-16, with 11:34 remaining in the contest. The Ladyjacks gathered 12 of their rebounds on the offensive end.
SFA shot 37 percent in the opening half, and took an eight-point advantage, 38-30, into the locker room. Despite shooting 40 percent in the half, the game seemed to be slipping away from the Bearkats. SFA led by one with three minutes in the half but outscored Sam Houston State, 8-1, heading into the intermission.
The Ladyjacks came out in the second half and appeared to take complete control pushing their advantage to 14 points. The Bearkats then began to attack the glass pulling down nine of the 13 offensive rebounds in the second half. Led by some hot three-point shooting in second half, including a 3-of-7 performance from the Bearkats' Leasa Ailshie, the Bearkats cut the lead to one, 61-60, with 2:41 remaining. But two free throws by SHSU's Therese Hager and consecutive layups by Brittany Brooks and the Bearkats took the lead for good.
Cormier hit two free throws to pull SFA within one, 66-65, with only 47 seconds remaining, but the Ladyjacks were unable to come up with a stop on the defensive end. Ford was called for a foul that sent the Bearkats' Whitney Smith to the free throw line. Smith hit both shots to put the game away.
Freshman Tammara Marion finished the game with eight points and six rebounds, classmate Amina Sawyer had three points and seven rebounds. Ford had nine rebounds to along with her 14 points.
The Ladyjacks return to action Wednesday when they host Central Arkansas in the William R. Johnson Coliseum. The game against the Sugar Bears is slated to begin at 7 p.m. It will be the Ladyjacks' first game at home in over a month.
-SFA-
