Temple University Athletics
Hairston's Double-Double Helps Temple Open Up the 2006-07 Season With a Win
11.10.06 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 10, 2006
Philadelphia - Kamesha Hairston netted 18 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead the Temple women's basketball team to a 78-65 exhibition win over the visiting NY Gazelles on Friday night at McGonigle Hall. Hairston, who posted a double-double in the first half (10 points, 10 rebounds), added three blocks and two assists to start the Owls' season off right. Shenita Landry scored 14 points, all of which came in the second half, while Fatima Maddox went 9-of-12 from the charity stripe to contribute 13 points. Freshman LaKeisha Eaddy dished an impressive seven assists and had three steals in her first collegiate game.
The Owls raced out to a 7-0 lead, despite the fact that they did not score their first field goal until a minute and 20 seconds into the game. Bianca Brown finally got the Gazelles on the board at the four-minute mark when she hit a jumper to make it 7-2. Temple began to cool off, however, and suffered quite a few scoreless stretches, allowing the Gazelles to keep the game close. Luckily for the Owls, the Gazelles also struggled to hit shots and were hampered by foul problems, which denied the traveling squad from ever really taking control of the game. Temple went to the line a total of 21 times in the first stanza, earning points on 15 trips. TU was not completely innocent, however, as it committed 12 team fouls, but a slightly better shooting percentage and a stifling defense allowed the squad to take a 35-27 advantage into the locker room. Hairston and freshman sensation Jasmine Stone each came up with two big blocks in the first half.
Eaddy started off the second half with a three-pointer to extend Temple's lead to 11 (38-27). Tinisha Townsend answered with a trey of her own for the Gazelles to spark a 12-2 run and cut the Owls' lead down to just one point (40-39) with just over 17 minutes to go. Temple was able to get back on track, with a little help from a poor shooting performance from the Gazelles and a power half by Landry and Eaddy, and increased its lead to 12 points (58-46) by the seven-minute mark. The Gazelles hit three treys down the stretch, but were only able to get as close as six points, as Temple rolled to the 78-65 win.The very physical game featured a total of 50 fouls, 32 of which were attributed to the visiting Gazelles. Temple committed 31 miscues as it struggled to find its rhythm early on in the game.
Stone made a solid effort with nine points, six rebounds, three blocks and one steal in her first game for the Cherry and White.
Townsend and Shemika Stevens led the Gazelles with 14 points apiece, while Brown had 13.
Temple begins its regular-season competition next week when it travels to Drexel to take on the Dragons on Friday, November 17 at 7 p.m.
