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Monday, November 14, 2011 • Page 13
Women’s basketball wins season opening nail biter Ernest Rollins Sports editor
Seven seconds remained in the game. The University of Detroit Mercy Titans’ ball, and the Sycamores were leading by two points. Play resumed and the clock wound down as Indiana State players pressured the Titans. The shot went up and wide right of the basket. The buzzer sounded. Indiana State University women’s basketball won their season opener at the Hulman Center Friday night. “It was a nail biter for a minute,” senior guard and forward Deja Mattox said. “It shouldn’t have came to that point, but I mean, we pulled it through. It was really exciting. I think everyone got into it hardcore.” The Sycamores went 1-0 for the season and advanced in the Women’s National Invite Tournament with the victory over the Titans. The team will travel to South Bend, Ind. to take on number two Notre Dame University. Three Sycamores were in double figures during the game. Junior guard Taylor Whitley led with 16 points and four assists. Senior center Shannon Thomas posted 15 points and six rebounds, and senior shooting guard Brittany Schoen finished the game with 10 points, three rebounds and two assists. The Sycamores trailed in rebounds to Detroit 24-40 and were 19-42 in field goals, 4-14 from beyond the three-point line. On free throws, the team was 22-27 attempts, with Whitley hitting 8-8. Detroit won the tip and was the first on the board. Schoen knocked down a 3pointer, which gave ISU the lead for the first time. The Sycamores never ceded that lead again. Schoen’s three initiated an 8-0 run by the Sycamores with senior (insert position) Taylor Whitely scoring and Schoen burying two more 3pointers. The Titans responded with a 4-0 run of their own and brought the game within three points, but the Sycamores progressively widen that gap, ending the first half 36-30, ISU. Senior center Shannon Thomas going up for a basket during the Sycamores struck first in the second half when sophomore guard Anna Munn knocked down a 3pointer. ISU vs. Detroit game. (Photo by Ernest Rollins)
ISU’s momentum continued as the team led by the largest margin of the game, 11 points (46-35), minutes into the second half. However, defensive errors by the Sycamores proved costly as the Titans slowly came within three points again following an 8-0 run. The two teams continued to trade points with the Titans within two with seconds remaining. A Titan turnover was an opportunity for the Sycamores to put this game out of reach, but Detroit won the ball back with 7.7 seconds remaining but were unsuccessful in the final play of the game. Whitley said it was only the first game, and the team did some things right and other things wrong, but the team will continue to improve as the season progresses.
“It was a nail biter for a minute. It shouldn’t have came to that point, but I mean, we pulled through. It was really exciting. I think everyone got into it hardcore.” Senior guard Deja Mattox
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