KEY FREE THROWS NAIL WIN FOR SBU

January 28, 2003

Box

Amber Wheeler had her 16th career 20+ point game as a Lady Bearcat with 24 points.

KIRKSVILLE, MO. ... By shooting 87% from the free throw line, Southwest Baptist (12-6/4-5) held on to a two-point win over Truman State University (7-10/1-8), 73-71. Amber Wheeler nailed two free throws with 00:11 left to give SBU a four-point lead. TSU then cut the lead to two on a Emily Turnbull layup. After a missed SBU free throw with 00:04 left, TSU could not get a clean shot off to tie the game.

Wheeler led all scorers with 24 points, which was her 16th career game in which she has scored 20 or more points. Gwyn Smith had her seventh double-double of the season with 12 points and 13 rebounds.

In the first five minutes of the game, SBU took an early five-point lead, 12-7, with 16:29 left in the half. TSU fired back with a six-point run for their first lead, 13-12. From that point over the next eight minutes there would be six ties. Each team answered the call when the other team would take the lead. After the sixth tie, SBU went on a 9-5 run to take the lead at half, 38-34. SBU had that lead with 2:34 to go in the half as both teams did not make a basket until the second half.

Wheeler unleashed 21 points in the second half as she only had three-points at halftime. SBU extended their lead to seven points, 45-38, on a Wheeler three-pointer at the 16:50 mark. At the 12:02 mark, Alicia Mercer put SBU by 11, 57-46. In a little over two minutes, TSU went on a 6-0 run to cu the lead to five, 57-52. SBU scored the next four points to put the lead back to nine at the 7:20 mark. Once again, TSU brought the lead back to five, 61-56, with 6:15 left in the game. SBU answered back with five straight points for a 10-point lead, 66-56 (4:39).

TSU got things together in the next four minutes with a 15-3 run to come within two points, 71-69, with only 14 seconds left in the game. Wheeler was fouled quickly as three seconds ticked off the clock. She hit both free throws for a four-point lead. After Turnball hit a layup with five seconds left, Wheeler was fouled again. She made her first free throw but it was waived off due to a lane violation. She then missed the second one but TSU could not get a shot off to tie the game.

SBU shot 33% from the floor and 41% from three-point range. Shooting their best from the foul line at 87%, SBU won the game by going 28-32. TSU 25-50 from the floor for 50% and shot only 27% from beyond the arc. SBU out rebounded TSU, 35-31, and had three less turnovers, 18-15. SBU had 20 second chance points to Truman's two.

The Lady Bearcats will take on Northwest Missouri State University at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 31st, in Davison Field House.