Jan. 26, 2008
Final Stats
WORCESTER, Mass. - The American University
women's basketball team shot 41 percent from the floor to earn a
62-46 win over Holy Cross on Saturday at the Hart Center. Three
Eagles scored in double figures in the win as AU won its first ever
game on the Crusaders home court in 16 games.
American (8-12, 2-3 PL) jumped out to a 16-9 lead with just
under 10 minutes remaining in the first half. Freshman forward Liz Leer entered
the game with the Eagles up 11-9 and shot 2-2 from the floor to
spark the seven point cushion.
Briana McFadden dropped a jumper from behind the arc for Holy
Cross (10-10, 3-2 PL) at the 8:01 mark to cut the deficit to 16-13.
McFadden then hit 1-2 from the charity stripe and another 3-point
basket to give the Crusaders a brief 19-18 lead. AU's Pam Stanfield drove
through the heart of the lane on the ensuing possession to reclaim
a 20-19 lead for the Eagles with 3:59 left in the first.
AU's Michelle Kirk
scored five unanswered points followed by another gutsy Stanfield
hoop to extend the Eagles lead to 27-19 with a minute and a half
remaining. Kirk then went on another five-point run to extend the
lead to 13 points, 32-19. The Crusaders Tayana Carper hit a free
throw and Elizabeth Campbell connected on a lay-up to end the half
to cut the AU lead to 32-22 heading into the intermission.
Liz Hayes
found her shooting rhythm to open the second half, hitting seven
points on a pair of jumpers and a three-point basket to give AU a
43-27 lead. Carper answered with a conventional three-point play
followed by five unanswered Campbell points to pull the Crusaders
within 13, 45-32. The Eagles found themselves without their leading
scorer for the better part of seven six minutes, with Hayes earning
her fourth foul with 12:12 to play.
With Hayes out Holy Cross went on a 6-0 run to close the gap to
nine, with AU holding a 47-38 lead with 9:40 left in regulation. Stephanie
N'Garsanet and Kathy Gruzynski traded hoops and the Eagles
grabbed three offensive boards on their next possession that
climaxed with a Kirk trey to give AU a 52-40 advantage with 6:19
left.
Hayes re-entered the game just in time to connect on her second
three-pointer of the afternoon and a Crusader turnover resulted in
a Stanfield hoop, putting the Eagles up by 17, 57-40, with 4:40 to
go. With the Eagles guarding the perimeter, Holy Cross was able to
score three baskets in the paint, but a Talicia Jackson
three kept AU up 60-46 at the 2:30 mark. The Crusaders fouled the
Eagles the rest of the way out, with AU claiming the 62-46 win.
Kirk finished with a team-high 13 points, while Hayes and
N'Garsanet each finished with 12 points for AU. Jackson grabbed a
game-high 11 rebounds, while Stanfield, who scored nine points
added five assists and five rebounds. Maggie
Smith-Davidson had six rebounds and four steals.
McFadden had a game-high 15 points for the Crusaders, while
Campbell added 13 and Gruzynski scored all 10 of her points in the
second half coming off the bench.
AU will return to Patriot League play on Wednesday, when they
travel to Navy for a 7 p.m. tip.
