Dec. 18, 2005

Final Stats

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - (Sunday, December 18, 2005) The Redhawks women's basketball team's road woes continued as they fell 91-76 to the Samford Bulldogs at Seibert Hall in Birmingham, Alabama Subday afternoon. The loss dropped the Redhawks to 0-3 on the road and gives the Redhawks a two-game Ohio Valley Conference losing streak, their first multiple-game losing streak since the 2003-04 season.

The Bulldogs (6-1, 2-0 OVC) made 29 second-half free throws in 34 attempts to help give the Redhawks (4-5, 1- OVC) their worst OVC loss in two years. Overall the Bulldogs made 40 of their 46 attempts in the game.

The game started off in a rampant pace as both teams took advantage of each others defensive shortcomings. The Bulldogs abused the Redhawks perimeter defense and the Redhawks attacked the post.

The Bulldogs made seven of their first nine three-point attempts in the opening half to grab a 20-11 first half lead. The Redhawks chipped into the lead with the help of Tatiana Conceicao (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Western Nebraska CC). Her three-pointer at the 7:18 mark tied the game at 26-26 and Lachelle Lyles (Chicago, IL/Shelton State CC) converted a three-point play to give the Redhawks their first lead since they led 5-3 at 18:24.

The Redhawks grabbed their largest lead of the game 38-26 as the Redhawks held the Bulldogs scoreless for almost four minutes while scoring 18-unanswered.

The Bulldogs then chipped away at the lead and eventually tied the game at 45-all on a Cora Beth Smith lay-up with five seconds left.

Tarina Nixon (Gilbert, AZ/Highland) received the inbounds and raced down the court and launched a three-point attempt from the top of the three-point line that beat the buzzer and gave the Redhawks a three-point edge, 48-45 heading into the half.

Conceicao had 16 first-half points and Nixon matched her career-high with nine points in the opening half.

Alex Munday led the Bulldogs with 13 first-half points.

In the first half the Redhawks shot 54-percent including 70-percent (7-10) from the three-point arc. The Bulldogs were equally as hot as they made 52-percent of their shots and 66-percent (8-12) of their three-point attempts.

The Redhawks opened the second half with a Wanika Owsley (Indianapolis, IN/Southeastern Illinois CC) jumper and a Conceicao lay-up to give them a seven point lead, 52-45.

For Conceicao it would be here final points of the game as she was shutdown by the Bulldogs help defense.

The Bulldogs then went on a run that was spurred by their defense. A Munday lay-up gave the Bulldogs a their first lead of the second half, 54-52.

After a Natalie Purcell (Auckland, New Zealand/Hutchinson CC) lay-up tied the game Munday again answered with a jumper.

The teams exchanged leads until the Bulldogs went on a 10-0 run that was keyed by five-straight Redhawk turnovers to jump ahead 73-63.

The Bulldogs maintained that cushion the remainder of the game as they coasted to the 15-point victory.

The Redhawks went cold in the second half especially from the three-point line as they made only three of their 15 attempts.

The Bulldogs only made eight field goals in the second half and shot 44-percent but took advantage of 12 Redhawk second-half turnovers and the Redhawks habit of fouling.

Munday led all scorers with a career-high 31 points on 10-16 shooting including 3-5 from three-point line.

Conceicao finished with 18 points and seven rebounds to lead the Redhawks.

Nixon finished with 17 points, a new career-high. She was 4-7 from the field (3-4 from three-point range) and a perfect 6-6 from the charity stripe.

Tiffanne Ryan (Oklahoma City, OK/Westmoore) finished with a season-high 11 points on 4-8 shooting (3-7 from three-point range).

Katrisha Dunn (Dallas, TX/Eastern Oklahoma State College) had her second solid game off the bench as she added nine points all off of three pointers. She tied a career-high with five rebounds.

Owlsey scored eight points on 4-5 shooting and dished out a team-high five assists.

Lyles scored five points and pulled down six rebounds (four offensive).

Munday led four Bulldogs in double-digit scoring. Cora Beth Smith scored 12 points and Taryn Towns and Megan Wilderotter each finished with 10 points.

The 91 points are the most allowed by the Redhawks since they allowed 95 points in a loss at Jacksonville State on January 29, 2004.

The Redhawks will attempt to snap their losing streak when they continue their road trip with a visit to Jacksonville, Alabama to face Jacksonville State on Tuesday, December 20 at 5:00 p.m.