FOULS DICTATE FINAL OUTCOME OF GAME FOR SBU

February 7, 2004

Box

Amber Wheeler scored 14 points in the loss to MWSC.

ST. JOSEPH, MO. ... A controversial call with six seconds left in the game put the Southwest Baptist University Lady Bearcats (13-8/5-7) behind instead of ahead as Missouri Western (15-6/7-5) went on to hit two free throws for a three-point win, 52-49.

With six seconds left, it looked like Amber Wheeler had just scored the game winning shot to make the score 51-50. She drove up the middle, tossed her shot up, it went in and the whistles blew. The whistle, though, turned out to be an offensive charge and the basket was taken away. MWSC then inbounded the ball and was fouled with three seconds left. MWSC's Carly Griffin hit both free throws for a three-point advantage. SBU did not have enough time to get a clean shot off to try and tie the game.

Wheeler was the leading scorer for SBU with 14 points while Alicia Mercer added 10. Gwyn Smith had nine rebounds.

SBU took a quick four-point lead, 7-3, in the first three minutes but MWSC put on a 15-2 run over nine minutes for a nine-point lead, 18-9, with 8:27 to go in the half. The Lady Bearcats responded with their own 15-2 run to take a four-point halftime lead, 24-20.

MWSC scored the first two buckets of the second half to tie the game and retook the lead and went up by six, 36-30 in just eight minutes. With 7:11 to go in the game, SBU took a one-point lead, 40-39 on an Ashley Bland three-pointer. MWSC went on a 7-0 run to retake the lead by six, again, 46-40. SBU never saw the lead again. Wheeler hit a three pointer with 3:42 to go to put SBU within one, 46-45, and then hit another jumper at the 1:20 mark to cut the lead to one again, 48-47. That is as close as it would come until the offensive foul that was called against Wheeler with six seconds to go in the game.

SBU shot 41% from the floor and 29% from three-point range. They only shot four free throws and were perfect. MWSC shot 36% from the floor and 22% from three-point range. MWSC did out rebound SBU, 38-27.

The Lady Bearcats will be back in action on Wednesday, February 11th, as they travel to Topeka, Kansas, for a game against Washburn. Gametime is at 5:30 p.m.