Stephen F. Austin
Rice
Rice Takes Down Ladyjacks
11/17/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 17, 2010
HOUSTON, Texas - The Ladyjacks got 15 points from Tammara Marion, but shot under 30 percent for the game as the Rice Owls avenged a 10-point loss in Nacogdoches last season with a 59-54 win on Wednesday at Tudor Fieldhouse.
The Owls (2-3) shot just 32 percent for the game themselves, but went to the line 20 more times than SFA (0-2) who drops to 0-2 for the first time since the 2004-05 season.
Offensively SFA struggled down the stretch to put points on the board away from the line, making just three field goals in the final 7:38 while the Owls took advantage of their rebounding and free throw edge in the final minutes.
SFA made just five of 15 shots from behind the arc, but tried just five triples in the entire second period. The Owls made just two of their 15 attempts, but were still able to turn 21 Ladyjack turnovers into 23 points while SFA was only able to convert 16 turnovers into nine points of their own.
Marion hit a pair of threes on her night and pulled down four rebounds, while Decreasha Goodner led the team with eight boards. Courtney Conwright was the only other Ladyjack to reach double figures with 11, all of which came in an 11-2 SFA run over a two-minute span of the first half. Ebony Alexander dished out five assists and Chantol Drennan had a productive eight minutes of work as well with seven points and a pair of rebounds.
D'Frtanz Smart led the Owls with a dozen points, eight of which came from the line, and five assists in 32 minutes of work.
The Ladyjacks held a two-point lead at 38-36 with 11:31 to go in the game before a 9-2 Rice run gavethem the lead for good. SFA got back to within a bucket at 51-49 when Marion hit a driving jump shot on the right side of the lane, but Rice made six of their last eight free throws in the final 2:15 of regulation and never got back within five points.
SFA trailed at the half, 25-23, as the Owls scored the final six points of the period. Conwright provided of the heavy lifting for SFA, but did so in a short two-minute span. After the Owls pushed the lead to 19-12 behind five quick points from Brianna Hypolite, Conwright connected on four consecutive shots, three of which were in transition from beyond the arc, to give SFA a 21-19 lead.
Meanwhile, the Owls were having struggles of their own, hitting just eight of 16 free throws and going without a field goal for better than a six-minute stretch in the middle of the first period. In all, neither team was able to put together much offensively with neither team hitting better than 28 percent for the half.
SFA next hosts Conference USA favorite Tulane at William R. Johnson Coliseum on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. in the home opener. It is Beat The Buzzer at the game as well, meaning all fans there before 6:30 p.m. get in for free.
-SFA-
