Marquette University Athletics
No. 17 TCU Downs Women's Basketball, 56-47
2/20/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Recap | Box Score Recap and box score in PDF format.
MILWAUKEE -- Marquette?s valiant second-half effort against 17th ranked TCU (21-4, 10-2 C-USA) came up short as the Golden Eagles (18-7, 8-4 C-USA) fell in league action, 56-47. Kieger led the Golden Eagles with 12 points in the loss.
The Golden Eagles had cut TCU?s lead, which was as large as 15 in the second half, to eight, 38-30 with 13:24 left, but the Horned Frogs forced turnovers on back-to-back possessions in a full-court press to extend the lead back to 12.
Down 12 with 4:17 to play, MU closed the gap to an eight point game with 3:02 to play. A forced turnover and a subsequent free throw by Katie O?Grady made it a seven point game, 50-43. However, TCU held on, extending its lead to as many as 12 in the final minute.
Marquette did a good job shutting down the offensive threat of Sandora Irvin, keeping her scoreless in the second half. But it was the offensive efforts of Ebony Shaw who paced TCU. She finished the game with 16 points, 11 of which came in the second half. The Golden Eagles kept in the contest by forcing 24 TCU turnovers. MU scored 18 points off the TCU miscues.
?I couldn?t have asked for a better defensive effort, with the intensity and hustle,? head coach Terri Mitchell said. ?I was not pleased with our offense. We couldn?t get open shots to fall. We just have to regroup in a short time and try to get a win against a very tough Houston team.?
Marquette struggled in the first half, hitting just 17 percent of its shots. The Golden Eagles missed their first 13 shots and hit just 6-of-35 for the period. TCU struggled offensively as well, committing 12 turnovers. Irvin was the most solid player for either team in the half, hitting five buckets for 11 points. She finished the game with those 11 points and 12 rebounds. TCU guard Natsha Lacy had 10 rebounds at the break and finished the game with 12. Kieger led MU with seven points at the half.
The Golden Eagles meet Houston on Sunday, February 22 at 2 p.m. in Houston.
