Saturday, December 8, 2001
[ WAHINE BASKETBALL ]
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Wahine hang with The ninth-ranked Baylor Lady Bears made their free throws in the final minute and a half to hold off the Hawaii Wahine 70-65 in the opening game of the Tesoro Invitational before 737 fans at the Stan Sheriff Center last night.
No. 9 Baylor
Hawaii loses 70-65 to the Lady Bears
after missing several free throws lateBy Al Chase
achase@starbulletin.com
"We missed four straight free throws and that put them back in the lead. It's like a turnover," UH coach Vince Goo said.
"Baylor is a very good team. It was a physical game on the boards and we didn't hit wide open shots early."
Danielle Crockrom and Sheila Lambert scored 24 and 23 points, respectively, to lead Baylor (8-0). April Atuaia managed 23 points for Hawaii (4-2). The Wahine play Illinois-Chicago tomorrow at 5 p.m.
The first half did not start well for the Wahine. It was similar to the beginning of the Stanford game two weeks ago when the Cardinal pushed UH into an early hole.
The Wahine missed their first nine shots from the field as the Lady Bears jumped to an 18-7 lead behind 10 points from Lambert, who popped in five of her first six jump shots from the 12- to 15-foot range.
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UH's first two points from the floor didn't come until the 12:56 mark, when Christa Brossman hit a 10-foot jumper just off the lane. Janka Gabrielova followed with two driving layups, Christen Roper and Atuaia hit one of two free throws and Atuaia followed her miss with a rebound and layup to cut Baylor's lead to 21-16 with 8:16 left.Baskets by Brooke McCormack and Lauren Selmon upped Baylor's lead to nine points, 25-16.
UH countered with a pair of free throws from Natasja Allen, Chelsea Wagner and Atuaia, plus Atuaia's baseline drive off a pass from Allen to offset Crockmon's jumper and pull to within three, 27-24, with 3:17 remaining before intermission.
Another short jumper by Crockmon and her three-point play on either side of Allen's two free throws put the Lady Bears ahead by six, 32-26.
However, Atuaia scored the final four points of the half on free throws leaving UH trailing, 32-30.
The Wahine were 18-for-22 from the line in the first half, which compensated for their 6-for-25 effort from the field.
The game was even for the first eight minutes of the second half. Four times Hawaii closed to within one point, but the Lady Bears always had someone, especially Lambert, step up and answer with a bucket.
Atuaia gave UH its first lead, 44-43, with 10:30 to play. A 3-pointer by Wagner put UH up by four, but Crockmon converted four three throws and hit a five-foot jumper to put Baylor back on top, 49-47.
At this point, Allen and Roper were on the bench with four personal fouls.
Two more inside buckets by Crockmon were offset by Karena Greeny's driving layup and a pair of free throws by Gabrielova. Arijana Sijercic's two free throws would pull UH into a 53-all tie, but two more Crockmon field goals and one from Lambert were answered only by Atuaia's 3-pointer, leaving Baylor in the lead, 59-56.
Hawaii then went cold at the free-throw line as Allen and Roper misfired on two-shot situations. Chanelle Fox's jumper in the lane gave Baylor a 61-56 lead with 3:30 to play. Allen and Crockmon traded baskets, Allen scored again, Roper and Lambert traded two free throws to leave Baylor ahead 64-62.
Note: UH freshman forward Jade Abele is sidelined for four to eight weeks with a stress fracture in her right foot.
UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii