Temple University Athletics
Sunday, March 21
Norfolk, Va.
2:30 PM
Temple University
65
vs
53
James Madison
Qwedia Wallace led Temple with a game-high 21 points
Women's Basketball Takes Down JMU to Advance to NCAA Second Round
3.21.10 | Women's Basketball
Eighth-seeded Owls lock down on defense in 65-53 victory over ninth-seeded Dukes
Box Score (PDF)
Photo Gallery (Rick Voight/RSVP Media)
NORFOLK, Va. – Stifling defense and a big second half gave the Temple women's basketball team its first NCAA Tournament win in three years, as the eighth-seeded Owls (25-8) defeated ninth-seeded James Madison (26-7) 65-53 to advance to the NCAA Second Round. The Owls held the Dukes to their lowest point total of the season, and closed the game on a 10-2 run.
Temple will face top-seeded and #1/1 Connecticut, looking for its 74th straight win after a decisive 95-39 win vs. 16th-seeded Southern in the first round. That game will tip-off at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 23 on ESPN2.
Qwedia Wallace scored a game-high 21 points for Temple, while Kristen McCarthy and LaKeisha Eaddy added 15 points apiece with Eaddy tallying a game-high six steals. Jasmine Stone led all players with 12 rebounds as well as a game-high five assists.
JMU's Dawn Evans, the nation's fifth-leading scorer with 24.8 points per game, led the Dukes with 18 points and had only four in the first half.
Temple led by as many as 14 thanks to stifling defense in the first half that held James Madison without a field goal for nearly a seven-minute stretch. The Owls broke open a 4-4 tie with an 18-4 run to lead 22-8 with 5:43 left in the half.
The run ended abruptly at that point, with Temple scoring only one free throw the rest of the way while the Dukes whittled the margin all the way down to four and trailed the Owls just 23-19 at the break.
Eaddy led all players with seven points in the low-scoring half that saw Temple shoot only 31 percent from the field, but hold JMU to 22.6 percent shooting.
Both teams came out firing in the second half, but McCarthy and Marli Bennett hit back-to-back three-pointers for Temple to widen a three-point lead to nine points, 45-36 just three minutes in.
The Owls matched their offensive output of the first half by halfway through the second, but struggled to lead by more than a possession or two as the Dukes found their rhythm as well.
Evans had been held to just 1-of-10 shooting in the first half but made three of her first five attempts of the second. Tarik Hislop also caught fire for JMU in the second half, starting 4-for-5 from the field after going 0-for-5 in the first half.
But Temple was able to keep pace, with Wallace and McCarthy each scoring nine points for Temple in the opening 10 minutes.
The Owls were leading by just four, 55-51 with four minutes remaining, but closed the game on a 10-2 run that included five more points from Wallace.
Game Notes:
Temple's 25 wins are the most since 2006-07 when the Owls also recorded 25 victories…TU is 3-0 all-time vs. Connecticut, but all three games were played in 1981 and 1982, prior to Geno Auriemma's arrival at UConn…The Owls are now 4-8 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, while head coach Tonya Cardoza is 1-1…Senior LaKeisha Eaddy tops the all-time career steals list at TU with 250 after today's six-steal performance…Temple has now held four of its last five opponents to 55 points or fewer…Jasmine Stone's 12-rebound performance moved her up three spots on the single-season list, as her 293 rebounds now rank seventh all-time.
Quotes:
Head Coach Tonya Cardoza
Opening Statement
I thought JMU was a great team and they gave everything they have. I thought our guys did a good job sticking with the game plan and trying to keep the ball out of Dawn Evan's hand as much as possible. We went into the game saying that if they were going to win, that they were going to do it with their other players. I thought our guys did a helleva job defending one of the top scorers in the country.
On playing Connecticut after being a former assistant under Geno and knowing the tricks…
I don't know any of the tricks. To be honest, I haven't watched them a lot this year. Yeah, I know that they have a streak, but if you asked me what the number was, I don't know. I know that they broke it and I congratulated Coach about that. When they're on TV, if I can watch I will, but it's not like I'm tuned in every single time. You ask me what they're running on offense, I have no clue. I haven't watched any film because all we were focusing on was JMU. So we'll worry about UConn tomorrow.
On talking with former assistant Jamelle Elliott about Connecticut about the trick to UConn…
I don't think Jamelle had the secret either. She had a moral victory and we're not looking for a moral victory right now. We're going to do the same things, watch film and try to come up with a defensive scheme to try to slow them down as much as we possibly can. I thought today we did a great job. Dawn Evans is one of the leading scorers in the country and we held her to whatever, but more importantly we held them. They scored 53 points and they average 71 points a game, so our guys did a great job defensively and they deserve all the credit.
On how well did LaKeisha did guarding Dawn Evans…
It wasn't just her, it was a team effort. All twelve guys had to do a good job of guarding her. To be honest, not only did LaKeisha do a good job but I thought our post players [did well]. When we watched film, we saw a lot of other teams how they tried to defend her coming off the ball screen and we thought it was really important for our post players to step up and make themselves big. That was probably more important than LaKeisha sitting on that guarding, because every single post player made it difficult for her to shoot off the screens.
How to get her team in the right frame of mind before playing Connecticut…
Being there for 14 years, a lot of times, just the name of the jersey on the front of the jersey, it would be up 14 points without the game even starting, because people were so intimidated by them. This is the story everyone wanted so our players are already prepared for it. I don't have to give them anything to try to get them going. This is what everybody wants, so these guys are excited about it. This is one of the best teams ever, not just the number one team in this country, but right now, one of the best teams ever. This is something you want to go out and enjoy – something to take advantage of. There is no reason to be nervous because we have nothing to lose. I think our guys are excited about the opportunity because you guys have made it such a big story.
On if this game is as big as the media portrays it to be…
If you want it to be, it can be. If we win, it will be even a bigger story.
On whether she'll enjoy going up against a friend…
Obviously we want to win the game and if we win the game, I'll be so excited for my players but I'm also going to be hurting a little for those guys because I know how great they are. I know what it's like to be in the position they are in. A lot of people don't understand how hard it is to be who they are and continue to do what they do on a daily basis. If we pull it out and we're able to win the game, I'm going to be excited, ecstatic, but it will be bittersweet. And I'm sure he feels the same way. If we're unable to win that game, he will be happy for his team, but I'm sure he'll be a little sad for me.
Junior Guard Qwedia Wallace
What it meant to have the game she did today…
I just wanted to get past the first round, and wanted to beat this team because they were good. I just went out there and tried to be aggressive. It feels good to get this win and be able to go to the second round.
On what point she developed her left hand…
I worked on it a lot after my freshman year. I worked really hard on parts of my game and I'm really glad that part got there.
On how Temple responded to JMU runs…
We just knew we had to stick together. Teams are going to make runs and you're going to play good defense. With the team that we're playing, they have a lot of good scorers and we knew they were going to hit shots, no matter how great of defense we played. We just tried to stick together and not focus on that. Plus, Coach also told us don't get down on yourselves if they score, because it's going to happen. We hung it up and just made sure we stayed together.
Senior Guard LaKeisha Eaddy
On how she slept before having to guard Dawn Evans…
I slept like I normally sleep. I've guarded some of the top players in the country before. I knew I could minimize her impact and it wasn't necessarily something I was worried about, because it wasn't just my responsibility, it was a responsibility of my whole team to stop her.
On match-up of coaches in next game…
We're not worried about that right now. We just want to focus on this win and celebrate as much as we can and we'll worry about UConn tomorrow.
On watching Connecticut prior to their game today…
They're a great team. Obviously they have a big winning streak, but we were just enjoying the game, watching the game before we played like we would if any other team was playing.
Sophomore Forward Kristen McCarthy
On how experience in past games against nationally-ranked teams helped them…
I definitely think it helped a lot. We played Florida State, Duke, Xavier, and all of those games were close games. After losing to Xavier last week, we were still kind of upset about that and we just wanted to come and get a win.
JMU Head Coach Kenny Brooks
Opening Statement
This was a wonderful ride this year for us. One of the more enjoyable seasons I've ever had coaching basketball. That's a tribute to the fact that we have terrific kids. I'm very proud of them and what they accomplished all year long. I told them I just thought that today wasn't our day. We went out and had energy, but didn't execute the right way. We didn't adjust to the style of the game and therefore allowed Temple to get out to a sizeable lead. I thought we were trying to dig ourselves out of it the entire game, but we never quit and kept fighting. We got close, but then it seemed like we had a breakdown each time. They capitalized on second chance opportunities. Give Temple credit, they're very long, very athletic, and physical. Today just wasn't our day, but I'm very proud of my team and kids for what they have accomplished all season long on and off the court. They represent our University well.
On whether Temple was more imposing defensively than they looked…
Yes. I think that is a correct assessment. We knew they were a good defensive team. We didn't know why until you experience it. They are very long and physical. We didn't adjust to the way the game was being played. They did a good job on Dawn with their double-teams. We just didn't make the correct adjustments.
On double-teaming Dawn with Jasmine Stone…
We knew that was going to happen, they've done that all year. We anticipated her coming out but what we tried to do was make them pay for that and get the ball inside. It altered the way we play because we weren't able to have success inside. Give them credit because they were very physical. They're one of the most physical teams we've played all year long.
On whether Dawn was forcing any shots in the first half…
Yeah, she forced quite a bit, but some of it was out of necessity. I was a little disappointed that with the shot clock running down kids were watching her as she'd try to heave up a 25-footer. We really didn't have a tempo and that's one of the things I try to stress on the team; rebounding and tempo. We were either going too fast of too slow a lot of times and just didn't have a good rhythm. You have to give credit to Temple.
On whether this loss is a learning experience…
I thought we handled ourselves well all week long in preparation for this game. The kids were focused on this game and I just thought today wasn't our today. This is a huge learning experience. This is the stage you want to be on. I think you don't learn anything unless you experience it and this experience, good or bad, is really going to motivate them in the off-season. This is something that is going to pay dividends for us in the future. We have everyone coming back except for Sarah.
On what allowed Temple to stay in control…
It was breakdowns in execution. Temple's players made plays. They were composed, and they had good rhythm with their shots. Temple did a really good job executing.
On JMU's big following…
I think it had to do with our history over time. We've won over a hundred and twenty games over the past five years. Our fan base is growing and growing and we have remarkable young ladies. They are fun loving kids who get out and do a lot for the university. It's truly something special we have at James Madison and I'm proud to be a part of it.
Junior Guard Dawn Evans
On how hyped they were at the beginning of the game…
This is extremely nerve-racking, but we played in front of a great crowd. Every game that is one and done we try to play extremely hard. It took us the first seven minutes to find our composure and after that we fell into a flow. We were extremely excited and knew what we had accomplished getting to the NCAA tournament.
On Temple's defense…
I give them a lot of credit. They were really good on defense. They say that they take pride on defense. I just wasn't a good shooting night for me but I just try to push through it.
On how frustrating it was each time they pulled away when it got close…
It was extremely frustrating. At points we felt we had all the momentum and could take the lead, but good players hit good shots and they were able to convert on their offense. We were always just trying to fight to take the lead and never could quite get that.
On what Temple did to cause difficulties on offense…
When you're facing defenses like them the best thing to do is hit shots. They were just changing up defenses and I wasn't able to do that.
On LaKeisha Eaddy's defense…
It was extremely good. She's really quick and a good defender. She played extremely well today. A lot of it I wasn't able to just knock down shots, but I give her a lot of credit she's a very good guard and very good defensively.
On a possible lack of composure during the game…
At the beginning of the game our energy was going, we just anticipated this game. Our energy was extremely high; the game was extremely fast and was just trying to get our game going. The first seven minutes were too fast for us but I think we eventually found it.
Photo Gallery (Rick Voight/RSVP Media)
NORFOLK, Va. – Stifling defense and a big second half gave the Temple women's basketball team its first NCAA Tournament win in three years, as the eighth-seeded Owls (25-8) defeated ninth-seeded James Madison (26-7) 65-53 to advance to the NCAA Second Round. The Owls held the Dukes to their lowest point total of the season, and closed the game on a 10-2 run.
Temple will face top-seeded and #1/1 Connecticut, looking for its 74th straight win after a decisive 95-39 win vs. 16th-seeded Southern in the first round. That game will tip-off at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 23 on ESPN2.
Qwedia Wallace scored a game-high 21 points for Temple, while Kristen McCarthy and LaKeisha Eaddy added 15 points apiece with Eaddy tallying a game-high six steals. Jasmine Stone led all players with 12 rebounds as well as a game-high five assists.
JMU's Dawn Evans, the nation's fifth-leading scorer with 24.8 points per game, led the Dukes with 18 points and had only four in the first half.
Temple led by as many as 14 thanks to stifling defense in the first half that held James Madison without a field goal for nearly a seven-minute stretch. The Owls broke open a 4-4 tie with an 18-4 run to lead 22-8 with 5:43 left in the half.
The run ended abruptly at that point, with Temple scoring only one free throw the rest of the way while the Dukes whittled the margin all the way down to four and trailed the Owls just 23-19 at the break.
Eaddy led all players with seven points in the low-scoring half that saw Temple shoot only 31 percent from the field, but hold JMU to 22.6 percent shooting.
Both teams came out firing in the second half, but McCarthy and Marli Bennett hit back-to-back three-pointers for Temple to widen a three-point lead to nine points, 45-36 just three minutes in.
The Owls matched their offensive output of the first half by halfway through the second, but struggled to lead by more than a possession or two as the Dukes found their rhythm as well.
Evans had been held to just 1-of-10 shooting in the first half but made three of her first five attempts of the second. Tarik Hislop also caught fire for JMU in the second half, starting 4-for-5 from the field after going 0-for-5 in the first half.
But Temple was able to keep pace, with Wallace and McCarthy each scoring nine points for Temple in the opening 10 minutes.
The Owls were leading by just four, 55-51 with four minutes remaining, but closed the game on a 10-2 run that included five more points from Wallace.
Game Notes:
Temple's 25 wins are the most since 2006-07 when the Owls also recorded 25 victories…TU is 3-0 all-time vs. Connecticut, but all three games were played in 1981 and 1982, prior to Geno Auriemma's arrival at UConn…The Owls are now 4-8 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, while head coach Tonya Cardoza is 1-1…Senior LaKeisha Eaddy tops the all-time career steals list at TU with 250 after today's six-steal performance…Temple has now held four of its last five opponents to 55 points or fewer…Jasmine Stone's 12-rebound performance moved her up three spots on the single-season list, as her 293 rebounds now rank seventh all-time.
Quotes:
Head Coach Tonya Cardoza
Opening Statement
I thought JMU was a great team and they gave everything they have. I thought our guys did a good job sticking with the game plan and trying to keep the ball out of Dawn Evan's hand as much as possible. We went into the game saying that if they were going to win, that they were going to do it with their other players. I thought our guys did a helleva job defending one of the top scorers in the country.
On playing Connecticut after being a former assistant under Geno and knowing the tricks…
I don't know any of the tricks. To be honest, I haven't watched them a lot this year. Yeah, I know that they have a streak, but if you asked me what the number was, I don't know. I know that they broke it and I congratulated Coach about that. When they're on TV, if I can watch I will, but it's not like I'm tuned in every single time. You ask me what they're running on offense, I have no clue. I haven't watched any film because all we were focusing on was JMU. So we'll worry about UConn tomorrow.
On talking with former assistant Jamelle Elliott about Connecticut about the trick to UConn…
I don't think Jamelle had the secret either. She had a moral victory and we're not looking for a moral victory right now. We're going to do the same things, watch film and try to come up with a defensive scheme to try to slow them down as much as we possibly can. I thought today we did a great job. Dawn Evans is one of the leading scorers in the country and we held her to whatever, but more importantly we held them. They scored 53 points and they average 71 points a game, so our guys did a great job defensively and they deserve all the credit.
On how well did LaKeisha did guarding Dawn Evans…
It wasn't just her, it was a team effort. All twelve guys had to do a good job of guarding her. To be honest, not only did LaKeisha do a good job but I thought our post players [did well]. When we watched film, we saw a lot of other teams how they tried to defend her coming off the ball screen and we thought it was really important for our post players to step up and make themselves big. That was probably more important than LaKeisha sitting on that guarding, because every single post player made it difficult for her to shoot off the screens.
How to get her team in the right frame of mind before playing Connecticut…
Being there for 14 years, a lot of times, just the name of the jersey on the front of the jersey, it would be up 14 points without the game even starting, because people were so intimidated by them. This is the story everyone wanted so our players are already prepared for it. I don't have to give them anything to try to get them going. This is what everybody wants, so these guys are excited about it. This is one of the best teams ever, not just the number one team in this country, but right now, one of the best teams ever. This is something you want to go out and enjoy – something to take advantage of. There is no reason to be nervous because we have nothing to lose. I think our guys are excited about the opportunity because you guys have made it such a big story.
On if this game is as big as the media portrays it to be…
If you want it to be, it can be. If we win, it will be even a bigger story.
On whether she'll enjoy going up against a friend…
Obviously we want to win the game and if we win the game, I'll be so excited for my players but I'm also going to be hurting a little for those guys because I know how great they are. I know what it's like to be in the position they are in. A lot of people don't understand how hard it is to be who they are and continue to do what they do on a daily basis. If we pull it out and we're able to win the game, I'm going to be excited, ecstatic, but it will be bittersweet. And I'm sure he feels the same way. If we're unable to win that game, he will be happy for his team, but I'm sure he'll be a little sad for me.
Junior Guard Qwedia Wallace
What it meant to have the game she did today…
I just wanted to get past the first round, and wanted to beat this team because they were good. I just went out there and tried to be aggressive. It feels good to get this win and be able to go to the second round.
On what point she developed her left hand…
I worked on it a lot after my freshman year. I worked really hard on parts of my game and I'm really glad that part got there.
On how Temple responded to JMU runs…
We just knew we had to stick together. Teams are going to make runs and you're going to play good defense. With the team that we're playing, they have a lot of good scorers and we knew they were going to hit shots, no matter how great of defense we played. We just tried to stick together and not focus on that. Plus, Coach also told us don't get down on yourselves if they score, because it's going to happen. We hung it up and just made sure we stayed together.
Senior Guard LaKeisha Eaddy
On how she slept before having to guard Dawn Evans…
I slept like I normally sleep. I've guarded some of the top players in the country before. I knew I could minimize her impact and it wasn't necessarily something I was worried about, because it wasn't just my responsibility, it was a responsibility of my whole team to stop her.
On match-up of coaches in next game…
We're not worried about that right now. We just want to focus on this win and celebrate as much as we can and we'll worry about UConn tomorrow.
On watching Connecticut prior to their game today…
They're a great team. Obviously they have a big winning streak, but we were just enjoying the game, watching the game before we played like we would if any other team was playing.
Sophomore Forward Kristen McCarthy
On how experience in past games against nationally-ranked teams helped them…
I definitely think it helped a lot. We played Florida State, Duke, Xavier, and all of those games were close games. After losing to Xavier last week, we were still kind of upset about that and we just wanted to come and get a win.
JMU Head Coach Kenny Brooks
Opening Statement
This was a wonderful ride this year for us. One of the more enjoyable seasons I've ever had coaching basketball. That's a tribute to the fact that we have terrific kids. I'm very proud of them and what they accomplished all year long. I told them I just thought that today wasn't our day. We went out and had energy, but didn't execute the right way. We didn't adjust to the style of the game and therefore allowed Temple to get out to a sizeable lead. I thought we were trying to dig ourselves out of it the entire game, but we never quit and kept fighting. We got close, but then it seemed like we had a breakdown each time. They capitalized on second chance opportunities. Give Temple credit, they're very long, very athletic, and physical. Today just wasn't our day, but I'm very proud of my team and kids for what they have accomplished all season long on and off the court. They represent our University well.
On whether Temple was more imposing defensively than they looked…
Yes. I think that is a correct assessment. We knew they were a good defensive team. We didn't know why until you experience it. They are very long and physical. We didn't adjust to the way the game was being played. They did a good job on Dawn with their double-teams. We just didn't make the correct adjustments.
On double-teaming Dawn with Jasmine Stone…
We knew that was going to happen, they've done that all year. We anticipated her coming out but what we tried to do was make them pay for that and get the ball inside. It altered the way we play because we weren't able to have success inside. Give them credit because they were very physical. They're one of the most physical teams we've played all year long.
On whether Dawn was forcing any shots in the first half…
Yeah, she forced quite a bit, but some of it was out of necessity. I was a little disappointed that with the shot clock running down kids were watching her as she'd try to heave up a 25-footer. We really didn't have a tempo and that's one of the things I try to stress on the team; rebounding and tempo. We were either going too fast of too slow a lot of times and just didn't have a good rhythm. You have to give credit to Temple.
On whether this loss is a learning experience…
I thought we handled ourselves well all week long in preparation for this game. The kids were focused on this game and I just thought today wasn't our today. This is a huge learning experience. This is the stage you want to be on. I think you don't learn anything unless you experience it and this experience, good or bad, is really going to motivate them in the off-season. This is something that is going to pay dividends for us in the future. We have everyone coming back except for Sarah.
On what allowed Temple to stay in control…
It was breakdowns in execution. Temple's players made plays. They were composed, and they had good rhythm with their shots. Temple did a really good job executing.
On JMU's big following…
I think it had to do with our history over time. We've won over a hundred and twenty games over the past five years. Our fan base is growing and growing and we have remarkable young ladies. They are fun loving kids who get out and do a lot for the university. It's truly something special we have at James Madison and I'm proud to be a part of it.
Junior Guard Dawn Evans
On how hyped they were at the beginning of the game…
This is extremely nerve-racking, but we played in front of a great crowd. Every game that is one and done we try to play extremely hard. It took us the first seven minutes to find our composure and after that we fell into a flow. We were extremely excited and knew what we had accomplished getting to the NCAA tournament.
On Temple's defense…
I give them a lot of credit. They were really good on defense. They say that they take pride on defense. I just wasn't a good shooting night for me but I just try to push through it.
On how frustrating it was each time they pulled away when it got close…
It was extremely frustrating. At points we felt we had all the momentum and could take the lead, but good players hit good shots and they were able to convert on their offense. We were always just trying to fight to take the lead and never could quite get that.
On what Temple did to cause difficulties on offense…
When you're facing defenses like them the best thing to do is hit shots. They were just changing up defenses and I wasn't able to do that.
On LaKeisha Eaddy's defense…
It was extremely good. She's really quick and a good defender. She played extremely well today. A lot of it I wasn't able to just knock down shots, but I give her a lot of credit she's a very good guard and very good defensively.
On a possible lack of composure during the game…
At the beginning of the game our energy was going, we just anticipated this game. Our energy was extremely high; the game was extremely fast and was just trying to get our game going. The first seven minutes were too fast for us but I think we eventually found it.
Post Game Press Conf. vs. Villanova
Monday, November 24
Ep. 24: Cross Country/Track & Field Coach Elvis Forde
Friday, November 21
Ep. 23: Former Men's Basketball Standout Marc Jackson Speaks on Mental Health
Wednesday, November 19
Ep. 22: Owls Sports Update from David & Amelia
Tuesday, November 18
