Marquette University Athletics
Women's Basketball Defeats UWM, 74-66
11/20/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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Golden Eagles hit 56 percent in second half
MILWAUKEE ? Marquette responded to a challenge by Wis.-Milwaukee with a strong second half as the Golden Eagles defeated the Panthers, 74-66, in the season opener for both teams. Marquette was led by junior guard Carolyn Kieger, who scored 18 points. Nichole Drummond led UWM with 16 points.
Down four at halftime, Marquette (1-0) rallied to start the second period with an 8-2 run to start its burst. Marquette extended the lead to as many as six points with 12 minutes to play, but UWM (0-1) kept the contest close.
With five ties and four lead changes in the second half, the contest was close until the final minutes. Marquette led by one with 2:50 remaining after a basket by Teri Huff trimmed the margin. Marquette scored the next seven points as Kieger took over down the stretch. She scored seven of her 18 points in the last 2:02 to fuel the Marquette finish.
Wis.-Milwaukee started the game hot from behind the three-point line to build a 13-point lead. For the half, UWM hit seven of 13 three point attempts (53.3 percent) as it led for the majority of the first 20 minutes. Drummond?s three pointer with 10:13 left in the first half gave the Panthers its largest lead.
Marquette was hampered by foul trouble in the first 20 minutes. Kieger had three fouls and played just six minutes. However, the play of junior guard Amber Johnson helped keep Marquette in the contest. Seven first half points by Johnson keyed a late Marquette run that shrunk UWM?s lead to just one point with 42 seconds left in the half.
?I thought that was great of her because she wasn?t shy,? head coach Terri Mitchell said of Johnson?s first-half effort. ?I was just thrilled that when she was open she wasn?t afraid to shoot.?
The Golden Eagles benefitted from an aggressive offensive game plan that drew a lot of fouls. Marquette went to the line 34 times, making 25 (75.3 percent). UWM shot just eight free throws, making six. Marquette also held UWM to just one three-point basket in the second half in its come-from-behind effort.
Marquette?s scoring attack was balanced as sophomore center Christina Quaye scored 12 points and added 11 rebounds. Sophomore guard Danielle Kamm added 10 points Freshman forward Svetlana Kovalenko added nine in the win as did junior forward Efueko Osagie.?
?This was absolutely a team effort,? Mitchell said. ?That has always been the emphasis of the team that we don?t have a superstar. You have your mainstays in Carolyn, Christina and Danielle but it was so nice that the others stepped in and helped us with our victory.?
Marquette returns to action on Sunday, Nov. 21 at 4 p.m. at the Al McGuire Center, taking on IUPUI.
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