Temple University Athletics
Temple Women's Basketball Picks up 73-62 Win Over St. Bonaventure
1.15.08 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 15, 2008
PHILADELPHIA - Temple women's basketball snapped a four-game losing streak with a 73-62 win over St. Bonaventure in its Atlantic 10 home opener on Tuesday evening at the Liacouras Center.
Temple improved to 8-10 overall and 1-1 in A-10 action, while St. Bonaventure fell to 12-5 overall and 0-2 in the A-10.
"I don't things went right," TU head coach Dawn Staley. "We didn't put enough points on the scoreboard. We're not playing very good basketball. We better find a way to improve by Saturday or it will be another massacre on our hands-- like Rutgers (was)."
The teams traded baskets over the first six minutes of play before Temple went on an 8-0 run to go ahead by eight, 15-7. SBU's Katelyn Murray nailed a three-pointer to cut the lead to five, but TU's Ashley Morris responded with a three of her own. Freshman Lindsay Kimmel added a three to give the Owls their first double-digit lead, 23-10. Temple pushed its lead to as many as 16 points, 31-15 on 83 percent shooting. St. Bonnie clawed its way back, cutting the lead to seven, 38-31 at intermission, on another Murray trey.
The Owls shot a Liacouras Center record 69.6 percent (16-23) in the first half. [The former record was 65.2 vs. Georgia Tech, Nov. 20, 2006.]
The second half was much closer than expected. Point guard Ashley Morris left the game with 15:06 on the clock with a cut above her right eye which required stitches. She did not return. Junior Shenita Landry sat on the bench with four fouls and returned for the final six minutes of play.
Despite missing two players, the Owls never relinquished their lead. With TU ahead by 13 points, SBU went on a 10-0 run to come within three, 47-44. In the final five minutes of play, TU went 9-of-10 from the line to hang onto the 11-point win. "Sometime it's the difference between wins and losses," Staley said of her team's free throw shooting down the stretch. "It's always good to see our kids knock down shots at the end."
Kimmel and sophomore LaKeisha Eaddy led the Owls with 13 points each. Landry followed with 12 points, including a perfect 4-for-4 from the line.
Murray led SBU with 14 points. Andrea Doneth added 13 points, and Dana Mitchell had 10.
Temple continues its homestand on Saturday, Jan. 19 to take on No. 13/17 George Washington. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. at the Liacouras Center.
