Temple University Athletics
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PUNCHES ITS DANCE CARD WITH A 53-48 WIN OVER SAINT JOSEPH'S IN A-10 CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
3.8.04 | Women's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA - For the second time in three years, the Temple women's basketball team has wrapped up an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament by defeating Saint Joseph's, 53-48, in the 2004 Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball Championship Final on March 8 at Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse. The Owls also defeated the Hawks in 2002, 63-58, to capture the first A-10 crown in school history.
Senior guard Christena Hamilton, who was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Championship Team, led the Owls with a team-high 14 points and was the only Temple player to score in double figures. Fellow senior Toni Belafonte and junior Cynthia Jordan added nine points apiece. Belafonte also had a team-high three steals. Sophomore center Candice Dupree, who was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Championship, was limited to six points but collected a game-high 11 rebounds. Junior Ari Moore, the third member of the Owls to earn all-tournament honors, also scored six points and grabbed eight boards.
Stephanie Graff led Saint Joseph's with game-highs of 15 points and 11 rebounds. Irina Krasnoshiok added 10 points and a game-high three blocked shots for the Hawks.
In a game that featured the league's two best scoring defenses, Temple limited Saint Joseph's to 28.6 percent shooting from the field. The Owls shot 39.6 percent from the floor, out-rebounded the Hawks (36-34), had the advantage in points in the paint (30-20), points off turnovers (18-13) and fast break points (6-0) . Saint Joseph's held the edge in steals (19-11), blocked shots (7-2) and turnovers, forcing 23 while committing 19.
"We knew our speed would be the difference," said Temple coach Dawn Staley. "We just wanted to make them uncomfortable and disrupt their execution."
Graff and Krasnoshiok joined Moore, Hamilton and Dupree on the Atlantic 10 All-Championship Team. The Owls will now prepare for Selection Sunday (March 14) knowing that they will be a part of March Madness.
