POOR SHOOTING IN FIRST HALF COSTLY TO SBU

January 22, 2005

Gwyn Smith had yet another double-double with a team high 17 points and season high 16 rebounds.

[Final Stats] [Gamenotes] [Pictures]

ST. JOSEPH, MO. … Shooting as cold as it was outside the MWSC Fieldhouse, the Southwest Baptist Lady Bearcats (8-9/2-6) could not overcome a 16-point halftime deficit to Missouri Western (13-4/5-3) as the Lady Griffons claimed the win, 78-65. SBU only shot 7% from three-point range and 27% from the floor in the first half.

SBU’s Gwyn Smith picked her ninth double-double of the year with 17 points and 16 rebounds. Amber Smith added 15 points and Jennifer Clymore had 11. Selma Barbosa, the MIAA points leader, recorded 26 points for Missouri Western.

Swapping leads four different times in the first eight minutes of the game, SBU stayed right with the Lady Griffons. Gwyn Smith started the SBU with a 2-0 lead after MWSC missed their first shot. MWSC answered with a 6-0 run for a four-point lead.

In the next minute and a half, SBU put up six straight points to retake the lead, 8-6, on a Wheeler three-pointer. Two more ties came about in just over a minute and Casey Beavers gave SBU their last lead of the half, 13-11, at the 12:05 mark.

SBU’s defense was strong in the first eight minutes and then MWSC broke through to score seven straight points for an 18-13 lead. SBU cut it to four, twice, but once again the Lady Griffon offense started to click again with a 10-0 and a commanding 14-point advantage. In that three minute run, SBU could not hit a shot as Ashley Bland broke MWSC run with a two-point basket at the 5:51 mark.

The Lady Griffons then kept their distance and took a 16-point lead into the half. MWSC’s Jill Johnson hit two free throws with 44 seconds left for the 16-point lead, 40-24. SBU shot a dismal 7.7% in the first half from beyond the arc as they only made one of 13 shots.

Scoring the first four points of the second half, SBU brought MWSC’s lead down to 12, 40-28. MWSC would then keep their distance the rest of the second half. Jenny Miller canned a three-pointer with 6:47 left in the game to cut the lead to 10, 61-51, but the Lady Bearcats couldn’t seem to find the bucket to bring them any closer. MWSC ran the lead back to 16 points in less than a minute, but SBU would not give up.

With only 45 seconds left in the game, Wheeler brought home a three-pointer that put MWSC’s lead to nine, 74-65. SBU would not hit another shot and MWSC went four-of-four from the free throw line to claim a 13-point win.

Shooting 54% in the second half, SBU improved their overall shooting percentage to 38% and hit 17% from the three-point range. They only shot 60% from the free throw line as they made 12-21 in the second half. MWS finished shooting 45% from the floor and also out rebounded SBU, 44-36.

SBU will host Truman State on Tuesday, January 25, at 5:45 in the new Meyer Sports Center.