Saint Rose Wins Ugly at Franklin Pierce, 51-50
Golden Knights win game marred by combined 52 turnovers, 33-percent shooting
RINDGE, N.H. (January 14, 2004) - The College of Saint Rose held on for a 51-50 decision over Franklin Pierce in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball action at the Franklin Pierce Fieldhouse tonight.
Franklin Pierce failed to take advantage of 31 Saint Rose turnovers as it turned the ball over 21 times itself and shot just 27.9-percent (17-61) from the field, including 23.5% (4-17) from three-point range. The Golden Knights managed to out-score the Ravens 23-19 off turnovers despite committing ten more and finished shooting 40.5% (17-42) from the field, including 23.5% (4-17) from long-range.
Freshman guard Mary Lewis (Roxbury, Mass./Tabor Academy) led the Saint Rose attack with a game-high 18 points as she hit 8-12 shots from the floor, to go with seven rebounds and six steals. Classmate Courtney Ludwig (Shaftsbury, Vt./Mount Anthony Union) contributed 12 points, aided by 3-5 shooting from three point range, three rebounds and two steals. Sophomore Kelli-Ann Henry (Bronx, N.Y./Murry Bergtraum) grabbed a team-best 11 rebounds (all on the defensive end) and finished with eight points and three blocks.
Junior co-captain Patricia Lang (Monroe, N.H./Saint Johnsbury Academy) was the lone Franklin Pierce player to reach double-figures in scoring with 11 points, while she also totaled nine rebounds, four assists and five steals. Freshman forward Danielle D'Ettorre (Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario/St. Mary's) matched her season-high with a team-leading 11 rebounds (five offensive) to go with eight points, despite a 1-14 night from the field, as she canned all six of her attempts at the line. She also dished three assists and added two steals. Sophomore forward Heather Jacobs (Stoughton, Mass./Stoughton) chipped in eight points and two steals in 19 minutes off the bench.
Saint Rose led by as much as ten points late in the first half, but settled for a 22-17 edge at the break. Franklin Pierce scratched its way back into the contest after shooting just 23.3% (7-30) from the field in the opening 20 minutes, and following an 11-0 run, turned a seven-point deficit into a four-point advantage (35-31), for its first lead of the game with 11:05 to play. Lang sparked the rally with a three-pointer and sophomore Maria Clifton (New York, N.Y./Saint Michael's Academy) chipped in four points.
Eight ties and four more lead changes ensued down the stretch. With 1:50 to play, Ludwig was fouled by Lang while attempting a three-pointer and went to the line and canned all three-attempts to give Saint Rose a three-point lead (49-46) with 1:50 to play.
Lang canned a pair from the line to draw the Ravens back within a point (49-48) just seconds later. Saint Rose missed a three and turned the ball over after gaining the offensive rebound and D'Ettorre drained a pair of free-throws to help the Ravens regain the lead (50-49) with 52-seconds to play.
Saint Rose went to the line again with 31-seconds to play and Henry drained two attempts to put the Golden Knights up for good (51-50). Franklin Pierce had two chances to win the game in the closing seconds, but a turnover, a pair of lay-ups and a desperation three-pointer at the buzzer were off the mark.
Franklin Pierce (6-8, 2-8 NE-10) returns to action on Saturday when it hosts Bryant College, receiving votes in this week's WBCA/USA Today Division II poll, at 1:30 p.m. Saint Rose (4-10, 2-8 NE-10) visits Stonehill College on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.