University of Texas Arlington
Lafayette (Wells Fargo Classic)
LADY MAVS REBOUND FOR 81-59 VICTORY OVER LAFAYETTE
12/21/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 21, 2003
DENVER, Colorado - The University of Texas at Arlington women's basketball team rebounded from an opening round loss in the Wells Fargo Classic to defeat Lafayette College 81-59 in the consolation game Sunday afternoon at the Magness Arena in Denver, Colo.
UTA (4-6) used a balanced attack in the first half to open up a double digit lead. Rola Ogunoye picked up right where she left off the day before as she sank the game's first points from the free throw line. The Leopards would use a pair of field goals from Colleen Fitzpatrick and one by Kristin Doherty to take a 6-5 advantage at the 17:06 mark.
Ogunoye would give UTA the lead with her only field goal of the first half and when Melanie Lane put a shot up-and-in at the 15:57 mark, the Lady Mavs took the lead for good.
Terra Wallace would then pick the pocket of LC point guard Kara Stetler at half court and take it in for easy layup. Just seconds later, Tamesha Graves would steal the ball near halfcourt and feed Tabitha Wesley for the easy lay in and the first points of her UTA career for Wesley.
The Lady Mavs would then turn to their trademark long ball as LaToya Lewis knocked in a pair of triples and Krystal Buchanan, Wallace and Kayla Kilgore would each knock one down in the opening stanza.
Another pair of free throws by Ogunoye at the 5:19 mark would give the Lady Mavs their largest lead of the half at 34-19. Lewis ended the scoring in the half with her second trifecta of the half at the 30 second mark, sending the teams to recess at 38-26.
After both teams traded turnovers to start the second half, UTA turned the second LC turnover into points as Ogunoye laid the ball up and in for the first points of the half. That basket sparked the Lady Mavs would go on a 14-8 run over the next 6:15 to open up a 20-point lead on a Kendra Rumph bucket.
The Leopards (0-6) would make a run just passed the midway point of the half as they crept within 13-points at the 9:07 mark before a three-point play by Ogunoye pushed the lead back up for good.
UTA would ride the defense of Buchanan who recorded 5 steals to tie the tournament record and spark the last run of the game for the Lady Mavs. After feeding Lewis in the corner for her third triple of the game, Buchanan ripped off her 5th steal and fed Lewis for the easy layup giving UTA its largest lead of the game at 76-49. LC would cut the lead to 19-points before Kilgore closed out the scoring with a trifecta.
Lewis led the offense with 16 points, while Ogunoye chipped in with 15. Buchanan was also in double figures with 10 points and added six assists and the five steals. Wallace turned in a solid effort with nine points, a team-high seven rebounds, four assists and three steals despite a battle with the flu. LC was led by Fitzpatrick with 21 points.
For the game, the Lady Mavs shot 31-for-70 (.443) from the field and 8-for-23 (.348) from behind the arc. UTA limited the Leopards to just 17-for-46 (.370) from the field and only 2-for-15 (.133) from behind the arc.
The Lady Mavs will take a few days off for the Christmas holiday before returning to action on Dec. 31 on the road at Oklahoma State. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
