Dec. 2, 2005
Box Score
WASHINGTON, D.C. (www.lafayette.edu) - Shannon Carlisle scored nine of her 18 points in the second overtime session to lead Howard to an 89-85 win in women's basketball action on Friday night at Burr Gymnasium.
Howard (1-3), which earned its first win of the season, placed four players in double figures, led by Melloni Benson (23 points, 10 rebounds). Lafayette (3-3) suffered its third straight loss after opening the season with three consecutive victories, and will look for its fourth win of the year on Sunday afternoon at Radford.
Lindsay Myers scored 21 points for the Leopards and Kristin Doherty had 15. Vanessa Van De Venter (14 points) and Brittany Purr (six points) both had 11 rebounds for Lafayette, which outrebounded Howard 54-50. Purr and freshman Emily Garner (nine boards) both set career-highs.
There were 15 lead changes and nine ties in regulation. The lead changed hands five times and the game was tied three times in overtime.
Lafayette turned the ball over 19 times in the first half but was 12-of-23 from the field and 9-for-11 from the foul line to trail by just a point, 36-35, at intermission.
Howard used a 14-4 run early in the second half to go ahead, 52-47, with 13:09 left. Lafayette had scored 12 of the previous 14 points in a stretch of 5:05 that spanned the half.
Myers made two free throws to tie the score at 67-all with 3:41 left, and assisted on a layup by Jessica Spicer that put Lafayette ahead 69-68 with 3:02 on the clock. Myers split a pair from the line to give the Leopards a 70-68 lead at 2:19, and Benson forced the game's ninth tie with a layup at 1:32. Ebony Lacey missed a jumper at the buzzer to send the game into the first overtime at 70-all.
Spicer gave Lafayette a two-point lead early in the extra session with a pair of free throws before Howard scored five straight. Van De Venter hit a layup to pull the Leopards within one, and Spicer drained a three with 51 seconds left to put Lafayette in front, 77-75. Benson tied the score with a bucket with 40 seconds on the clock, and Myers had a look at the winning basket but her layup was blocked by Tamaya Daniels.
Carlisle took over in the second overtime for Howard, hitting a three, two layups and a pair of free throws with 10 seconds remaining to stretch the Bison lead to four after Purr narrowed the margin with an offensive rebound and putback. Howard outscored the Leopards 12-8 in the final period.
The Leopards held a nine-point advantage at the foul line, making 28-of-35 from the stripe. Myers went 9-for-10 and Van De Venter was 6-for-7 to lead the effort.
Both teams turned the ball over 10 times in the final 30 minutes after combining for 31 miscues in the first half.
Lafayette will travel to Radford, Va. for a 3 p.m. tip-off with the Highlanders on Sunday.
