Stephen F. Austin
Texas A&M Corpus Christi
SFA Clinches Tourney Berth With Win Over Islanders
2/26/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 26, 2011
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Tammara Marion pumped in 23 points in going over 1,000 points for her career and Courtney Conwright a season-high 20 as the Ladyjacks rebounded from a loss on Wednesday to post an 89-78 win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Saturday at the William R. Johnson Coliseum.
The win secures a berth for SFA (11-16, 8-6 SLC) in the upcoming Southland Conference Tournament and also keeps alive the possibility of a 10-win campaign through the Southland this season. The loss keeps the Islanders winless (2-25, 0-14 SLC) in league play.
Marion is the second player in as many games to reach the 1,000-point plateau as Jordan Ford hit the mark on Wednesday at Lamar, and the junior did so at the foul line, hitting a pair of free throws with just over 10 minutes to play to get her 1,000th point. She finished by hitting all eight of her foul shots as the Ladyjacks hit a season-high 29 foul shots on the night and six triples. The longballs did not start going until the second half, however, with the Ladyjacks hitting just 2-of-14 threes in the first period, helping the Islanders keep it at just six-point deficit at the break.
But SFA made hit all but two of its 20 free throw tries and got 18 second-half points from Marion to hang on to the win. Conwright did most of her damage at the foul line as well, hitting 8-of-9 and a pair of threes for her 20, and Decreasha Goodner joined her with 11 points and eight rebounds.
The Islanders finished with four players in double figures, including double-doubles from Anitra Jeffrey and Ashley Darley; however, they allowed 27 points off of their 27 turnovers and were outscored 22-8 by the Ladyjack reserves.
SFA struggled in delivering an early knockout blow as they had the first time the teams met, but still managed to pump in six of the final eight points of the half on a three-point play by Chantol Drennan and a triple from Marion to snap a 35-35 tie and take a four-point edge to the break despite shooting just 34 percent from the floor. Conwright delivered 11 of her 20 points in the first half with her and Marion being the only Ladyjacks able to connect from distance for the SLC's top three-point shooting team.
The Ladyjacks never gave back that lead, either, but had to push back the Islanders multiple times in the second half. TAMUCC trailed by just two points with just over 10 minutes to play after a three-point play by Adrienne Scott brought the score to 63-61, but from there SFA went on a 9-0 run to build the lead to 12 and never let TAMUCC within seven points the remainder of the way.
With two games remaining in the regular season, the Ladyjacks will head to Huntsville to take on SLC West leading Sam Houston State on Wednesday before closing out regular season at home, on senior night, next Saturday against Northwestern State.
-SFA-
