UPSET BID OF #2 WASHBURN FALLS SHORT

January 19, 2005

Amber Wheeler became the SBU career leader for three-pointers made by makeing four three-pointers. She now has 159 three-pointers.

[Final Stats] [Gamenotes] [Pictures]

TOPEKA, KS. … Trying to knock off one of the best teams in the nation is tough task and the Southwest Baptist University Lady Bearcats (8-8/2-5) almost accomplished this task. Only down by two at the half, Washburn University (16-1/6-1) made a second half run in the last 11 minutes of the game to take an 81-63 win.

The score does not indicate how close the contest was for the Lady Bearcats. With 12:38 left in the game, SBU 's Jennifer Clymore nailed two free throws to cut WU's lead to one, 48-47. WU then went on a 16-5 run in the next seven minutes for a 15-point lead, 67-52, at the 5:36 mark. That run broke the Lady Bearcats spirits as they could not recover.

Junior Amber Wheeler hit another milestone as a Lady Bearcat as she became the all-time career leader for three-pointers made. She only needed three to break the record and came away with four. She now has 159 three-pointers and surpassed Allison Ramirez (99-01,02-03) who had 157 three-pointers. Wheeler also led all scorers with 21 points. Clymore added 13 points.

SBU ran with the Lady Blues in the first half as there were seven ties. The Lady Bearcats did not let the #2 Lady Blues take control of the game and SBU had the lead six different times in the game. SBU had their largest lead of four, 20-16, with 10:35 on the clock. WU then put together another one of their famous runs as they outscored SBU 11-2 in five minutes to claim a five-point lead, 27-22. SBU came back to tie the game at 33 (00:57) when Wheeler canned her second three-pointer of the night. With 16 seconds left to play, WU's Brooke Ubelaker hit two free throws to take a two-point advantage at the half.

Wheeler gave SBU their only lead in the second half on a the record breaking three-pointer at the 18:31 mark, 38-37. WU's Lora Westling answered SBU's three with their own three just a minute later to reclaim the lead and never give up again. SBU's only chance to retake the lead came at the 12:38 mark where Clymore nailed both of her free throws to cut the lead to one.

WU, usually outrebounding their opponents by 10 or more rebounds, had 39 rebounds to SBU's 37. SBU shot 36% from the floor, 40% from three-point range, and 80% from the free throw line while WU hit 45% of their shots and went 6-20 from three-point range.

SBU will travel to St. Joseph, Missouri, on Saturday, January 22, when they take on Missouri Western at 1:30 p.m..