Marquette Wins Over Western Michigan

Nov. 23, 2008

KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The Marquette women's basketball team jumped out to a quick 15-0 lead in the first half and never looked back to earn a 89-58 win at Western Michigan Sunday afternoon at Varsity Arena. The win keeps Marquette perfect at 4-0, while the Broncos remain winless at 0-3 overall. The 4-0 start marks the first time since the 2004-05 season the Golden Eagles have begun the season with a four straight wins.

Marquette had three players with double-digit point totals with sophomore Paige Fiedorowicz registering a team-high 14 points. Sophomore Angel Robinson and senior Krystal Ellis each added 12 and 11 points, respectively. All but one player in the lineup registered a basket while the Golden Eagles shot 52.2 percent from the floor, including 38.9 percent from 3-point land.

Marquette dominated the glass for the fourth consecutive game, 45-29. Fiedorowicz and sophomore Jasmine Collins each pulled down a game-high six apiece.

During the Golden Eagles' early15-0 early run over the first 5:23 of action, Ellis, junior Lauren Thomas-Johnson and Robinson each made one 3-pointer. Marquette pushed that lead to 22 points following another 12-0 run that put the Golden Eagles ahead 29-7 with 7:27 to play in the first half.

Marquette outscored the Broncos 18-7 over the last five minutes of the first half to help Marquette cruise into the locker room at half-time with a 30-point cushion, 52-22.

The Broncos countered early in the second with a 9-2 run to cut their deficit to 25 points, but back-to-back buckets from junior Janelle Harris gave a 29-point lead back to the Golden Eagles, 64-35, with 12:04 left in the game.

An 11-4 run by Western Michigan that put the score at 68-47 with 7:34 to play and again with 7:02 left would be the closest it would come for the remainder of the game. The Golden Eagles held onto a 20-plus point lead for the remainder of the game.

Marquette connected on a first-half season high 59.4 percent of attempts from the floor, while holding Western Michigan to make just six total shots. The Golden Eagles were on fire from long range knocking down seven of 11 treys.

Fiedorowicz led MU with 11 points and three rebounds, Robinson added eight points and four assists, and Lauren Thomas-Johnson and Tatiyiana McMorris gave MU six points apiece.

The Golden Eagles return home to host the WBCA Classic Nov. 28-30 at the Al McGuire Center. Marquette, No. 16/11 Virginia, Gonzaga and Utah will all be in action in the three-day round-robin tournament.

2008 WBCA Classic Tournament Schedule
Friday, Nov. 28
Utah vs Virginia - 5 p.m.
Gonzaga at Marquette - 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 29
Utah vs Gonzaga - 5 p.m.
Virginia at Marquette - 7 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 30
Gonzaga vs Virginia - 1 p.m.
Utah at Marquette - 3 p.m.