Stephen F. Austin
Loyola Marymount
Lions Blow By Ladyjacks In Tourney Opener
11/26/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 26, 2010
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - The Loyola-Marymount Lions scored 21 unanswered points early in the second half to break open a back-and-forth game and get past the Ladyjack basketball team, 94-62, in the first round of the Courtyard by Mariott Los Angeles Westside Thanksgiving Classic at Gersten Pavilion.
SFA (0-4) trailed by just seven points at the break, and got it back to within three points early in the second frame before LMU (3-2) went on its run, holding the Ladyjacks without a field goal for more than eight minutes. All-West Coast Conference forward Alex Cowling led all scorers with 27 points and eight rebounds, while Chantol Drennan led SFA with a 17-point day in her first start of the season.
The Lions committed nine less turnovers than did SFA and went to the line 17 more times, outscoring the Ladyjacks 31-3 in points off of turnovers.
Tammara Marion netted three of SFA's five three-point buckets, netting 12 points for the day to get into double figures for the fourth time this season. Toni Davis and Ebony Alexander each provided sparks off the bench as well, with Davis finishing with nine points and four rebounds while Alexander dished out a season-high eight assists.
SFA enjoyed its best half from the floor in the opening period, shooting 57 percent from the floor, but the combination of Hazel Ramirez and Cowling combined for more than half of the Lions' total as LMU took a 47-40 lead into the locker room.
LMU jumped out to a 10-2 lead, but SFA never let the lead grow to any greater than 12 and managed to cut it down to as little as three points when Alexander cleaned up a transition bucket to cap an 8-1 SFA run and cut the score to 35-32.But the Lions answered with seven quick points of their own to get the lead back to double digits before Decreasha Goodner pumped in a pair of three-point buckets in the final three minutes of the half to keep SFA within striking distance.
SFA then came out with consecutive inside buckets from Drennan to open the second half before the Lions began their run with a layup from Melanie Ysaguirre at the 17:27 mark and the Ladyjacks were not able to crack the scoring column again until Goodner scored from the free throws stripe at the 11:24 point of the half. Marion broke the field goal drought with a triple less than two minutes later, but LMU kept the lead comfortable by making good on nine of their next 10 free throw tries.
The Ladyjacks will next take on the loser of the second game of the tournament between No. 18 Georgia and Denver on Saturday at Gersten Pavilion. That game is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. PST.
-SFA-
