#6 ESU RUNS AWAY WITH GAME

February 26, 2005

Gwyn Smith led all Bearcats with 16 points and 16 rebounds vs. #6 ESU. This is the 12th double-double this season and is on pace to become the MIAA's first ever leading rebounder three consecutive seasons.

[Final Stats] [Gamenotes]

BOLIVAR, MO. … Emporia State University (23-4/14-4) made to important runs to claim a 71-52 win over Southwest Baptist University (11-16/5-13). ESU finished the first half on a 11-5 run to take a six-point advantage and then opened the second half on a 14-4 run for an 18-point lead, 46-28.

Gwyn Smith finished her career at SBU in style with 16 points and 16 rebounds for her 37th career double-double. Jennifer Clymore added 14 points. ESU’s Nicole Patry led all scorers with 20 points.

SBU battled hard with the #6 Hornets the first 14 minutes of the game. The Lady Bearcats had a lead of five, 14-9, at the 12:41 mark before ESU took the lead, 15-14, just two minutes later. SBU tied the game at 19 and then a Jenny Miller layup gave SBU a two-point advantage, 21-19, with 5:49 to go in the half. ESU’s Tywanda Harris started the run to end the half as she connected on a three-pointer to regain the lead as the Lady Hornets never looked back.

The Bearcats cut the lead to four, 30-26, in the first 1:22 of the second half but only scored one bucket in the next six minutes as the Lady Hornets moved their lead to 18, 46-28. SBU never recovered from that run.

SBU shot only 28% from the floor and 40% from three-point range while going 85% from the line. ESU finished shooting 50% from the floor and 60% from beyond the arc. SBU did out rebound ESU, 34-33, but SBU turned the ball over 20 times.

SBU will move onto the MIAA Tournament as the #8 seed and will take on #3 Washburn University at 12 p.m. on Thursday, March 3, in Kansas City.

Notes: Gwyn Smith finishes with 890 rebounds at SBU and will have a chance to break 900 career rebounds vs. Washburn … SBU’s 11-16 record is Coach Middleton’s first losing season at SBU … Jennifer Clymore has scored 10 or more points in 16 out of 18 MIAA games … With 16 rebounds, Smith seals up third straight MIAA rebounding crown, the first in MIAA history.