Nov. 23, 2007

Box Score

WASHINGTON - The American University women's basketball team nearly completed an upset of No. 16 West Virginia Friday afternoon but fell just short, losing 65-61. Senior guard Liz Hayes scored a season-high 29 points in the loss and made a season best six three-pointers.

American (2-3) used hot shooting from the outside and the charity stripe to keep pace with WVU (4-1). The Eagles hit nine shots from behind the arc and 16 from the line, accounting for 43 of their 61 points. The Mountaineers on the other hand made just four three-pointers and were held to only four attempts from the line.

Hayes opened the scoring in the first half with one of her six three-pointers to give American the game's first lead. The Eagles led by as many as four in the first frame after Pam Stanfield found Talicia Jackson open for a triple, moving the score to 24-20 with 8:28 to play. WVU answered with a Lateefah Joye layup which sparked a 15-1 run to end the half and gave the Mountaineers a 35-25 lead at the break.

American fought back to within three at the 11 minute mark of the second half off another Hayes three. The Eagles were still within striking distance with under one minute to play, 64-61, after Hayes sank the front end of two free throws. AU missed three shots including two from three-point land down the stretch before they were forced to foul WVU to put them on the line. LaQuita Owens hit one of two foul shots with just three seconds remaining to extend WVU's lead to 65-61 and secure the victory.

Hayes led all scorers in the game with 29 points on 10 of 24 shooting. The senior hit a season-high six shots from downtown, was three of four from the line and dished out four assists. Jackson added 13 points of her own and was three of four from behind the arc.

WVU was led by Owens who scored a double-double with 15 points and 10 boards and Chakhia Cole who had a team-high 19 points. The Mountaineers out-rebounded the Eagles by a margin of 13 and shot 50 percent for the game.

American will return to the court tomorrow, Nov. 24, at noon in the University of Rhode Island Tournament's consolation game. The Eagles will face the loser of this afternoon's game between URI and Brown. With the win, West Virginia advances to tomorrow's championship game at 2 p.m. against the winner of URI vs. Brown.