Purdue Fort Wayne
UT Martin
Skyhawks Capitalize on Late Run, 71-59
2/19/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 19, 2007
Fort Wayne, IN - After over a week off due to a blizzard, the Women's Basketball team hosted Tennessee-Martin on Monday night at the Gates Center. After holding a one point lead at half, 30-29 the 'Dons could not capitalize, falling to the Skyhawks, 71-59.
"It was a good game for the first 30 minutes." said Chris Paul. "But we struggle when things get tough or tight. We aren't finding ways to make the plays to win especially when we are at home."
Johnna Lewis-Carlisle started the 'Dons off on the right foot, hitting her first two shots to take a one point lead, 5-4. The Skyhawks went on a 15-6 run over the next six minutes to take an eight point lead, 19-11.
IPFW began to cut away at UTM's lead, cutting it to two points with 4:09 left. The Mastodons tied the game up at 25 with 3:51 off a shot by Lewis-Carlisle. A 5-4 run by IPFW would finish the half up by one, 30-29.
Lewis-Carlisle once again started the second off right with a good layup to take a three point lead. Tennessee-Martin would hit a three-pointer to tie the game up on the next shot. It was a back-and-forth battle from there with no more than a five point lead for either team over the next 15 minutes.
At the 4:54 mark the game was tied up at 50. The Skyhawks went on an eleven point run, 61-50. Lewis-Carlisle stopped UTM's run with a good lay-up. Tennessee-Martin wouldn't give up, finishing the game with a 12 point lead, 71-59.
"With the one point lead at half we pushed for the kids to take control the first four minutes of the second half to establish that this is our game. We allowed them to take control and when we hit the long stretch of missed baskets, like most teams do, we needed to defend better.
"The technical foul was good for us, when Ashley Johnson made four free throws it brought us back into the game. We told them that good teams take control to win and we just couldn't take control. We didn't make enough plays and UTM did."
Lewis-Carlisle led the 'Dons offensively with 23 points. She was 3 of 6 from the arc and 2 of 3 at the line.
Johnson connected for 13 points and was perfect at the line, 4-4. She was 4 of 7 from the field with five boards and five assists.
The Skyhawks finished with one double-double and two other ladies in double figures. Crystal Fuller connected for 20 points and 11 boards. Nicole Holeman had 23 points and Phyllisha Mitchell had 15 points.
The Mastodons (11-13) will host New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) tomorrow night at 7 PM in the Gates Center.
~Dons~
