Jan. 27, 2006
Box Score
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Saint Joseph's freshman center Hillary Klimowicz made a layup with 3.2 seconds remaining to lift the Hawks women's basketball team to a 65-64 victory over No. 17 Temple on Friday night. With the victory, Saint Joseph's snapped a six-game losing streak to the Owls and earned its second victory over a ranked opponent this season.
Kamesha Hairston converted a three-point play with 18 seconds left to give Temple a 64-63 lead. On the ensuing possession, Saint Joseph's Whitney Ffrench drove the lane and passed it to Klimowicz, who converted the game-winner.
"I have only had one (game winner) other time," Klimowicz said. "It was in fifth grade, the first year I played basketball...our center fouled out and they threw me the ball and I made it with no time left on the clock. That is the first time since then."
Hairston's 3-point attempt at the buzzer hit the side of the backboard and the Saint Joseph's players celebrated their first win over Temple in seven tries.
"Anytime two teams within a five mile radius get together it's going to be a battle of the city," said Hawks' Head Coach
Cindy Griffin. "Our kids did a great job of competing and playing hard."
In the first half, the Hawks jumped out to 10-point edge, 25-15 on a jumpshot by junior Ayahna Cornish at 8:26.
Temple and Saint Joseph's would both score 11 points apiece over the final eight minutes as the Hawks took a 36-26 edge into halftime.
In the second half, the Owls trailed by as many as 12 points, but rallied behind the clutch shooting of Hairston and Dupree.
Hairston hit a jumper to tie the game at 61, but Ffrench responded with two free throws for a 63-61 lead with 55.8 seconds left.
For the game, Saint Joseph's finished 21-of-46 for 45.7 percent, and 19-of-25 (76.0 percent) from the line. At the other end, Temple finished 27-of-48 from the floor (56.3 percent), but only seven-of-10 from the line.
Individually, Ffrench scored 16 of her career-high 18 points in the second half for the Hawks.
Ayahna Cornish scored 12 and Maura McBryan had 10 for Saint Joseph's.
For the Owls, Candice Dupree scored 20 points, Khadija Bowens added 17, Fatima Maddox scored 13 and Hairston finished with 10 for Temple.
With the victory, the Hawks improve to 13-6 on the season and 5-3 in Atlantic 10 play. With the loss, the Owls fall to 14-5 and 5-2 in the A-10. The victory marked the second time this season Saint Joseph's has defeated a ranked opponent, as the Hawks knowcked off #23/25 North Carolina State, 54-52, on November 20. The win also marks the first time since the 1999-00 season that the Hawks have defeated two nationally ranked teams in the same year.
Saint Joseph's returns to action Sunday at 2 p.m. when it hosts Rhode Island.
