Jan. 30, 2008

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - Trying to keep its hopes alive for a share of the Big 5 title, the Saint Joseph's women's basketball team led Temple, 65-64, with 44 seconds remaining Wednesday at the Liacouras Center. Unfortunately for the Hawks (10-10, 2-3 Atlantic 10), 1-2 Big 5), Temple outscored SJU 6-3 in the final seconds to knock off the Hawks, 70-67.

Fighting back from a deficit as big as 11 points in the second half, Saint Joseph's used a 19-9 run, from 8:17 to 1:43, to take a 64-62 lead on a baseline jump shot by senior guard Amy Wold.

Following a pair of free throws by Temple's Ashley Morris to tie the game at 64, the Hawks failed to convert on offense, but the Owls' Shenita Landry was called for a foul on the rebound. The Owls were also issued an immediate technical for arguing the call, sending Wold to the line for a pair of free throws.

After Wold went 1-of-2 to give SJU a 65-64 edge with 44 seconds left, the Hawks' sophomore forward Brittany Ford went to the line on the original foul call for two shots. Unfortunately for SJU, Ford's shots both were off the mark, giving Temple the possession.

On the ensuing play, Morris drove baseline and went up for a layup, only to have the ball blocked by Saint Joseph's freshman center Sarah Acker. The ball deflected straight down, and into the waiting hands of Temple's Lady Comfort, who converted an easy layin to put Temple up 66-65 with 26 seconds remaining.

After a Hawk timeout, SJU attempted to get the ball into Ford at the high post, only to have the pass squirt through her hands and into Temple's Shanita Landry's possession. Landry calmly made both free throws at the other end to put Temple up 68-65 with 14 seconds remaining.

The Hawks quickly got the ball up the court, finding sophomore guard Amy Gillespie for a three point shot. Despite the ball being off the mark, Ford grabbed the offensive rebound and put it back to cut it to a 68-67 ball game with 1.4 seconds left.

Comfort was fouled immediately on the inbounds and added a pair of free throws to seal the victory for Temple as the Hawks' desperation try with 0.6 seconds left failed to be caught cleanly.

In the opening half, Temple gained the early momentum, leading 15-7 at the 15:34 mark, and never allowed to regain the lead. Trailing 25-18, SJU used a mini 5-0 spurt to cut the game to two, but Temple answered back with a 9-2 run of its own to cap the first half with a 34-25 advantage.

For the game, The Hawks shot 52 percent (26-of-50) from the field and 9-of-14 from three-point range (9-of-14), but struggled from the line, going 6-of-13 (46.2 percent) and committing 26 turnovers. At the other end, Temple went 23-of-47 from the floor (48.9 percent) and 22-of-28 from the line 78.6 percent).

Individually, Wold's career-high 21 point on 6-of-7 shooting led SJU, with Ford adding 19 points and Acker adding 10 points.

Comfort led all scorers with 24 points, while Morris added 14 for Temple.

The Hawks return to action Sunday, February 3, at Massachusetts. Game time is set for 2 p.m.