Nov. 19, 2004

Box Score

RENO, Nev. - The Loyola Marymount women's basketball team fell to Colorado 75-58 in the first game of the John Ascuaga Nugget Classic, hosted by the University of Nevada in Reno, Nev. this evening. Jevay Grooms scored a career-high 21 points and pulled down 12 rebounds, but it was not enough for LMU. The Lions will play in the consolation game on Saturday at 1:00pm.

Bianca Ziemann got the Lions on the board, hitting a jumper at 16:25 for the first points of the game, and adding a driving layup just 25 seconds later. A jumper by Anna Nedovic put Colorado on the board at 15:40. The first half was tight, with four ties in the first 14 minutes, but Colorado went on a 9-0 run over the next four minutes to go ahead 25-16. A layup by Grooms cut the halftime lead to seven, 27-20.

Grooms accounted for half of LMU's points through the first half. In addition to a career-high seven rebounds, she also scored 10 points to keep the game close. She was a perfect 5-for-5 from the field in the first half, tying her own record for field goals made in the first half. The rest of the team had a combined four field goals in the first half, shooting 26.5% from the field.

Colorado's Anna Nedovic was a key contributor, scoring 10 points in the first half, shooting 4-for-7 from the field with two three-pointers. Veronica Johns-Richardson drove to nine points, scoring two driving layups, and drawing three shooting fouls in the first half and scoring five points at the line.

Grooms continued to be hot in the second half, as the Lions opened the half with a 5-0 run to cut the Buff lead to 27-25. Colorado pulled ahead a bit, but a layup by Bianca Ziemann cut the Colorado lead to just one at 33-32. A three-pointer by Whitney Law and a layup and free throw by Kara Richards started a 11-0 Buffalo run that the Lions could not overcome. Despite 11 second half points by Grooms, and eight second half points from Woods, the Lions did not cut the lead to less than eight for the rest of the second half. Woods' jumper with 6:22 remaining in the game made it a 61-53 game, but the Buffaloes scored four straight points to secure the win.

Grooms was the story of the game for LMU. She was 10-for-11 from the field, with her only miss of the game coming with 9:47 remaining in the second half. She got into foul trouble in the second half, picking up her fourth foul with 8:24 remaining in the second half, but she still managed to record two assists, two blocks and a steal in 31 minutes of action. She had a career night, setting new career highs for minutes played, field goals made and attempted, rebounds, blocks and points.

Freshman Amanda DeCoud had four assists, five points and three rebounds in her Lion debut. Valerie Ogoke pulled down four rebounds and added three points in her first regulation game. Senior Mary Turner led the Lions with three steals and also contributed four points and five rebounds.

Colorado was led by Nedovic, who finished the game with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Johns-Richardson had 15 points and four assists before fouling out of the game. Richards and Law also had double-digit scoring for Colorado.

The Lions will play in the consolation game on Saturday at 1:00pm. They will face the loser of the Nevada vs. Cal State Fullerton game that followed the LMU game.

-GO LIONS-