FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 2-21-04

Women's College Basketball: No. 24 AASU 78, USC Spartanburg 76

Release Courtesy of USC Spartanburg Sports Information

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Evan Miller’s running jumper in the lane hit off the rim at the buzzer and Armstrong Atlantic State staved off USC Spartanburg’s upset bid, 78-76, Saturday afternoon in the G.B. Hodge Center.

Amrstrong Atlantic State improves to 20-5 overall and 11-3 in the Peach Belt Conference. USCS falls to 9-15 overall and 4-10 in the league. USCS travels to Lander Wednesday evening for a 5:30 tip-off in Greenwood, SC. Armstrong hosts North Florida Wednesday at 5:30 in Savannah, GA.

The game was as close as you could get the entire way through. Each team took its shots at each other and the other team continually answered back. USCS was the first to hit, taking a 13-5 lead 4:02 into the game. Armstrong answered with a 10-4 run to cut the Lady Rifle lead to two points with 11:55 to play in the first half. A small 7-3 spurt by the Lady Pirates tied the game at 20-20.

Armstrong then took its turn in the lead, building a six-point advantage with seven minutes on the clock. USCS fought back to take the lead, 34-33, with 3:46 to play before the intermission, but Armstrong again answered to take a four-point lead, 40-36, with 1:25 to go. USCS got two free throws and a jumper from Kia Manuel to close the half on a 4-0 run as the teams went into the locker room tied at 40-40.

USCS started the second half on fire again, taking a 59-47 lead with 13:35 to play. The lead remained 12 points two minutes later, but Armstrong started to chip away at the Lady Rifle lead. Tasha Washington scored five straight points to cut the Lady Rifle lead to 61-54 with 10:50 to play in the game.

After a Margeaux DuMars free throw pushed the USCS lead to eight points, the Lady Pirates responded with five straight points to cut the USCS lead to 62-59 with 8:58 to play.

USCS again answered the charge, pushing the lead back to nine points with under eight minutes to play. However, Armstrong continued to battle and cut the lead to 73-71 with 2:58 remaining. Stephanie Feyes hit a running jumper to give USCS a five-point advantage with 1:56 to play, but Washington hit a jumper and Alicia Durham made two free throws to cut the lead to one with 53 seconds to play.

Washington sank two free throws with 31 seconds to play to give Armstrong its first lead since the 18:53 mark of the second half, 77-76. She connected on 1-of-2 free throws with six seconds to play, but Miller’s running jumper just missed and the Lady Pirates held on for the win.

Washington was tremendous all day for Armstrong Atlantic State. She finished with 32 points, six rebounds, and four steals. Vandy Noldon and Kaneetha Gordon each tallied 12 points for the Lady Pirates.

Vania Redd led five Lady Rifles in double figures with 17 points to go with 10 rebounds for the double-double. Yakeeshia Ross also tallied a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds. Kia Manuel added 14 points, while Feyes had 12. Miller finished with 10 points, seven assists, and four steals.

-Pirates-