Marquette University Athletics
Marquette University
Saint Louis
Golden Eagles Earn Road Win Over Saint Louis, 56-50
1/28/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
"Every time we play Saint Louis, we know it will be a battle," head coach Terri Mitchell said. "They have a great defense and we have a great defense. They want to keep the game in the 50s, but so do we. If we do that, we know we have a great chance to win."
Senior forward Heidi Bowman inched closer to the 1,000-point mark as she scored 17 for the second straight game to lead all scorers. Bowman is just six points away from becoming MU's 16th 1,000-point scorer.
Kristin Seffern added a career high tying 13 points and Rachel Klug scored a career best off the bench with 10 points as Marquette won consecutive road games for the first time this season.
"I love the way Rachel has developed," Mitchell said. "She has given us a spark off the bench. We just put her on the block, let her turn and score."
Marquette rallied from five down as the second half opened. The Golden Eagles forced a tie two trips later after a Seffern layup and a three-pointer by guard Rashida Gales. The contest was tied seven times in the second half, but MU took the lead for good, 47-45, with 5:27 left on a basket by Bowman.
The Golden Eagles turned things up as the game neared conclusion. MU grabbed six offensive boards in a seven minute span late and played stifling, yet controlled defense to earn the victory. Marquette committed just one foul in the second half, an offensive foul.
"We had to be animals on the boards and keep them off the free throw line," Mitchell added.
Marquette and Saint Louis battled to a three-point half time difference, with the Billikens holding a 28-25 advantage. Marquette started out the period hitting the first basket of the game, but Saint Louis guard Christan Shelton got off to a quick start, hitting her first four shots and scoring the Bills first nine points. Saint Louis led early, 9-2. Shelton continued her torrid pace in the half finishing 6-11 from the field with 13 points.
Klug came off the bench for the second game in a row and provided a much needed spark for the Golden Eagles. Klug scored six of Marquette's points during a 10-6 run that cut the Saint Louis advantage to one at the time, 24-23.
"I want to come out as a spark off the bench and give the team a lift," Klug said. "Once I get in I feel a lot more confident now."
Klug led Marquette scorers with eight points on 4-of-5 shooting at the intermission. Saint Louis led by as many as seven on three occasions during the first 20 minutes.
Bowman and Seffern scored seven each as MU had a balanced attack in the first half. Marquette connected on 44 percent of its first half shots and overcame an early game advantage by Saint Louis on the boards to have a 20-17 rebounding lead at the half.
However, Marquette struggled controlling the ball in the early going. The Golden Eagles turned the ball over nine times in the first half. On the contrary, Saint Louis took care of the basketball, turning the ball over just once.
The Golden Eagles return to action on Friday, Feb. 2 in a conference matchup with Tulane. Tip off is 7 p.m.
