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January
31, 2004
By
TOMMY HICKS
Sports Reporter
UM Women
Fall to archrival Spring Hill College
Despite a slow start that
found them trailing by 13 points less than nine minutes into the game,
the Lady Badgers made their shots in the final 30 minutes to defeat
Mobile.
Making just two field goals
in the first 10 minutes and shooting only 27 percent from the floor
in the first half, Spring Hill used a sizzling 61.5 percent shooting
accuracy in the second half to take an easy victory.
The comeback began with
a 12-0 run late in the first half, triggered by Meagan Pendergast who
scored the first six points in the stretch.
Trailing by five points
at halftime, Spring Hill picked up the pace, tying the game 51-all
on a Marcie McHugh 3-pointer at the 6:43 mark and allowing Mobile only
two field goals from that point on, one of those coming with 20 seconds
to play and the game already decided.
"We can't seem to
start games," Spring Hill coach Terry Fowler said. "That's
been our problem all year. Today at the shoot-around, I talked to them
about bringing their energy every game like they do for this one. Hopefully,
we'll do that the rest of the way."
Spring Hill (10-10, 5-4)
was led by freshman guard Maria Rodriguez and Pendergast with 17 points
each, 15 of Rodriguez's coming in the second half. McHugh and Amy Young
had 13 points each, combining for a 7-of-12 outing from 3-point range.
Mobile (12-8, 6-3) was
led by Crystal Coston's 15 points and 11 rebounds. Kinga Rybarczyk
had 12 points, with Sherie Lattimore scoring 10 and Trevor Chandler
eight.
The Lady Rams' biggest
problem was taking care of the basketball: They committed 24 turnovers.
Spring Hill had nine turnovers, only two in the second half.
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