Feb. 14, 2009

Box Score

WASHINGTON - Michelle Kirk led all scorers with 19 points as the American University women's basketball team (18-7, 8-2) knocked off Colgate 60-38 at Cottrell Court to complete the season sweep of the Raiders. American raced out to a 15-0 lead to start the game, propelling the Eagles to a 36-12 lead at the intermission. The win was the sixth in a row in the series against Colgate for American.

American dominated from the opening tip en route to the win. AU stifled Colgate on the defensive end, holding the Raiders to just 3-of-20 (15.0 percent) in the first half and 13-of-45 (28.9 percent) for the entire game. The Eagles held Colgate without a field goal for the first 10:46 of the game until a Krista Moser jumper cut the American lead to 17-4 with 9:14 left in the first.

American kept its foot on the gas pedal for the entire first half, refusing to let up each time Colgate attempted to inch back into the game. After Colgate (5-20, 1-9) cut the lead to 17 at 23-6, AU went on a 6-0 run to push the lead to 29-7. A Brittany Bell lay-in with 2:08 left in the half extended the lead to 34-10, the largest lead of the day for American. After two Colgate free-throws moved the score to 34-12, a Nicole Ryan bucket ended the half with the Eagles back up by 24. American controlled the first half of play, shooting 58.3 percent from the field and outscoring Colgate in the paint 16-2. The 36-12 lead for American was their largest halftime lead of the season and the 12 points allowed was the lowest output for an American opponent on the 2008-09 campaign.

The lead stayed at a comfortable margin for the second half as American cruised to a 60-38 victory. With 4:07 left in the game Colgate cut the lead to 14, at 50-36, but that was as close as the Raiders would come to the lead all afternoon. American would close the game on a 10-2 run, with eight points coming from Kirk on the way to her game-high 19. Liz Leer joined Kirk in double-figures with 13, while Ebony Edwards chipped in eight points in the win. The Eagles out-rebounded Colgate 29-23 with Leer and Talicia Jackson leading the way on the glass with five boards apiece.

"We were very pleased with our defensive energy in the first half of the game in holding Colgate to 12 points on 15 percent shooting," said Coach Corkery. "We also did a nice job on offense in shooting 52 percent from the field for the game. We are happy to get a road win the league heading toward the final few weeks of the regular season."

American remains tied with Lehigh atop the PL standings with a 8-2 record.

American returns to the floor Wednesday night at the friendly confines of Bender Arena as the Eagles look to complete a season sweep of Army. Tipoff from Bender Arena is scheduled for 7pm. Tickets to the game can be purchased online by click here or over the phone by calling (202) 885-TIXX.