Marquette University Athletics
Women's Basketball Downs East Carolina, 75-61
1/31/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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Recap and box score in PDF format.
GREENVILLE, N.C. ? Hot shooting in the first half and solid defense in the second helped Marquette (16-4, 6-1 C-USA) defeat East Carolina (14-5, 5-1 C-USA), 75-61. Crystal Weaver and Kelly Schwerman each led the way for Marquette with 16 points. Weaver added 11 rebounds. Jennifer Jackson led East Carolina with 17 points.
Marquette weathered each East Carolina second half run with defense and free throw shooting. Despite hitting four field goals in the first 16 minutes of the half, Marquette was 12-of-14 from the line in that span and limited the scoring of ECU?s leading scorer, Courtney Willis, to four points. Willis finished with 15.
?We know that it?s important for us to cut, penetrate and get to the free throw line,? head coach Terri Mitchell said. ?If we didn?t shoot well from the line today, it might have been a different outcome.?
MU owned a nine point lead with five minutes to play, 59-50. East Carolina had cut MU?s lead to as few as six, but the Golden Eagles never allowed ECU to get any closer.
?To take one on the road in this conference is a difficult task,? Mitchell added.
Marquette closed the period on a roll. As its field goal shooting increased, so did the lead. Marquette owned an 11 point advantage following a three-pointer by Danielle Kamm with 3:25 to play. The Pirates applied backcourt pressure to Marquette and cut the MU lead to six a second time on a three pointer by Kiesha Anthony with 2:43 left.
Weaver scored 10 straight points for Marquette early in the first half, pacing to the Golden Eagles to a quick start and a 14-10 lead. Marquette?s defensive efforts put pressure on East Carolina, holding the Pirates scoreless for five minutes midway through the period. As a result, Marquette improved its lead to 10, 22-12.
?We?re to the point where whomever is hot, we?ll find a way to get them the ball,? Mitchell said. ?It was Weaver at first and then other players stepped up as the game went on.?
The Golden Eagles owned an advantage as large as 14 until East Carolina trimmed the MU lead before the half. Three-point baskets by Kiesha Anthony and Viola Cooper cut Marquette?s lead to six. Weaver hit a layup with five seconds left in the half to score her team leading 13th point of the stanza and increase MU?s lead to 37-29 at the break.
The Golden Eagles visit Charlotte on Monday, February 2 at 7 p.m. (EST).
