Bullflogs crunch
Charleston Souther
See Page 15
Thursday, February 12, 2009
{The Blue Banner}
Page 14
UNCA steals win from Charleston Southern
By Randi Kitts
Staff Writer
RJKinS@UNCA.EDU
Ana Baker
UNC Asheville’s Lady Bulldogs (8-14,
5-4) rallied back for a thrilling 87-83
overtime win Saturday at home against
Charleston Southern (8-14, 2-7).
“This was a good win, well-earned and
greatly needed,” sophomore guard Chioma
Okoli said.
Senior guard Ana Baker broke Vicki
Griffin’s (1993-1997)
school record of 245 ca
reer steals as she scored
22 points and grabbed
four steals, bringing her
career total to 247.
The Lady Bulldogs
collected two double
doubles as freshman for
ward Linda Aughbums
scored a career-high 20
points and grabbed 10 rebounds while
sophomore forward Lindsey Montgomery
added 13 points and 13 rebounds.
“A lot of different people stepped up
and played hard. We stuck together as a
team,” sophomore forward Arescia Moore
said.
The Lady Bucs were led by senior guard
Pam Tolbert who scored a career-high 30
points.
The Lady Bulldogs defense struggled
as Charleston Southern took a 42-32 half
time lead.
UNCA came out strong in the second
half and capped an 11-0 run with a layup
from Montgomery to take the lead at the
16:11 mark.
“Our determination to win, our abil
ity to compete and the coaching from our
coaches motivates us as a team to come
back and fight for the win when we’re
down,” Moore said.
Charleston Southern answered back
and went up 61-53 on a layup from fresh
man forward Ali Schwagmeyer with just
over eight minutes left to play.
The Lady Bulldogs rallied back on an
11 -3 run to tie the game at 64-64 at the
5:43 mark.
“We played good defense in the second
half and out-rebounded our opponent, and
those were key in keeping us in the game,”
Ian Shannon - Staff Photographer
Lindsey Thompson stretches out to snatch a rebound against the Lady Bucs.
“Our determination to
win, our ability to compete
and the coaching from
our coaches motivates us
as a team to come back
andfight for the win when
we ’re down. ”
-Arescia Moore
Okoli said.
The game went into overtime as neither
team mustered enough points to pull away
in the closing minutes.
“The game was really intense, and the
crowd was really excited when the game
went into overtime,” sophomore dance
team member Sarah Maldonado said.
“Those are always exciting.”
UNCA freshman guard Lindsey
Thompson sparked the Lady Bulldogs
with a 3-pointer at the start of overtime.
UNCA held the lead and Baker sealed
the victory on a free throw with just three
seconds left to play.
“This was a really big win, and it’s
important for us to try and get every win
dowm the stretch so that we can end up in
the top half of our conference,” Moore
said. “We worked hard and executed the
game plan as a team and that’s why we
won this game.”
Okoli said the team’s work ethic
boosts their confidence in winning their
remaining games before the conference
tournament.
“I’m confident that if we rebound well
and play good, consistent defense for 40
minutes in the upcoming game,” Okoli
said. “We definitely have a great chance
of winning,”
The Lady Bulldogs start a two-game
road trip this Saturday against the Pres
byterian Blue Hose.
Sports
Calendar
Today
Women’s Tennis v. Western
Friday
Track and Field at Dick Taylc
Carolina Invitational i
Saturday
Men’s Tennis at Lees^McRac
Women’s Basketball at
Presbyterian
Men’s Basketball v. Radford
Sunday
Men’s Tennis v. UNCG
Monday
Women’s Basketball at
Gardner-Webb
Tuesday a
Men’s Basketball at High Poii^.
Feb. 20
Baseball at Courtyard by
Marriott Baseball Classic u