Jan. 2, 2005
Box Score
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Mary Turner's jumper with 4.6 seconds on the clock lifted the LMU women's basketball team to a 59-58 win over UC Santa Barbara this afternoon at Gersten Pavilion. The Lions' defense did not allow the Gauchos to get a shot off in the final seconds, and the Lions picked up the win in their final non-conference game of the season. Amanda DeCoud led LMU with a career-high 11 points, and Jevay Grooms grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds, including several rebounds in the final minutes of the game. The Lions improve to 6-7 on the year, while UCSB drops to 4-5.
The game was tight for all 40 minutes. There were 11 ties, and 13 lead changes. Neither team led by more than six points, and the Lions held the lead just once in the second half before Turner's shot gave them the one point advantage.
The game started slowly. After the Lions took a 4-2 lead on DeCoud's jumper at 17:56, neither team could score again until 13:29 when Kate Bauman hit a jumper to tie the game at 4-4. The game stayed tight for the next 10 minutes, as neither team led by more than three points. After Valerie Ogoke's free throw tied the game at 19-19 with 4:50 remaining in the first half, the Gauchos slowly pulled away, leading by 6, 27-21 with 59 seconds remaining in the half. A layup and a free throw by Jenni Smith helped the Lions cut the gap to just four points at halftime, 28-24.
DeCoud led LMU with seven first half points, while Kristen Mann led all scorers with 11 first half points. The LMU defense limited UCSB to shooting just 34.5% from the field in the half.
The Lions scored the first four points out of the halftime break to tie the game at 28-28 on Bianca Ziemann's fast break layup. UCSB scored the next four points, but consecutive baskets by Grooms, Turner and DeCoud gave the Lions the lead, 34-32 at 17:23. It would be LMU's only lead until the final seconds of the game.
Mann played well for the Gauchos in the second half, going 5-for-8 from the field. UCSB led by as many as four points at 14:18, but LMU stayed close. Ogoke's layup at 13:01 tied the game again, but the Gauchos would not let the Lions pull ahead. At 9:56, the Gauchos took their biggest lead of the game on a jumper by Mann, 48-42, but again the Lions caught up, tying the game on a Grooms jumpshot at 6:17. Mann gave UCSB a three point lead, 55-52 on a jumpshot at 4:20, but it would be the last field goal that UCSB would make. Rachael Ziemann hit a huge three pointer to tie the game at 3:30. Neither team would score again until Mia Fisher's two free throws gaveUCSB a 57-55 lead at 1:17.
On the ensuing possession, Turner grabbed a rebound off of her own miss and tied the game again with a layup. She was fouled on the basket, but missed the free throw and the game remained tied, 57-57 with 1:01 remaining. On the next UCSB possession, Mann was fouled by Grooms with just one second on the shot clock. She missed the first free throw, but made the second, giving UCSB a one point lead.
The Lions started their final possession with 33 seconds on the clock. Jacquelyn Woods missed her attempt with nine seconds left, but Grooms grabbed the offensive board and passed to Turner. Turner's 12 foot jump shot was good, giving the Lions a 59-58 lead.
After an LMU timeout, the Gauchos inbounded the ball with 4.6 seconds remaining on the clock, but the LMU defense did not allow them to get off a shot.
The Lions shot 51.6% from the field in the second half, and limited UCSB to just 40.7% shooting. Although the Gauchos outrebounded LMU 49-33, they were hurt at the free throw line. UCSB was just 13-for-24 from the line (54.2%).
Mann led all scorers and rebounders with 22 points and 16 rebounds. Grooms recorded her third double-double of the season, scoring 10 points to go along with her 15 rebounds. Rachael Ziemann also finished with 10 points. Fisher scored 12 points and had eight rebounds for UCSB.
The win was just the second LMU win over UCSB in program history. The last LMU win over the Gauchos was on November 22, 1983, when the Lions won 63-59 in Santa Barbara.
The Lions start the defense of their conference championship this week, traveling to San Francisco to play the Dons on Thursday night at 7:00pm.
-GO LIONS-
