Feb. 23, 2008

Box Score

Amherst, MASS. - The Dayton Flyers women's basketball team dropped its second-straight game 56-46 versus the Massachusetts Minutewomen at the Mullins Center Saturday afternoon. UD slips to 21-7 with the loss, 7-5 in the Atlantic 10, while UMass improves to 12-15 overall and 4-8 in the conference.

UD shot a mere 34 percent from the field, 26.3 percent from three point range, and 5-of-13 from the free throw line. The Minutewomen outplayed Dayton in many aspects, grabbing 45 boards to the Flyers 32 and holding a commanding lead in second chance points 14-5.

Senior Karah Cloxton tallied a team-high 10 points all of which came in the first half, while teammate Nikki Oakland grabbed six boards to lead the Flyers.

Twenty-one of Dayton's 46 points came from the bench as Dayton reserves Kiki Lund tallied eight points, Marie Rosche collected six and Kendel Ross scored five in the game.

UMass' leading scorer and the A-10's second leading scorer Kate Mills earned a double-double of 22 points and 10 boards to pace her team, while Pam Rosanio also scored in double figures with 11 points.

UD led by five to start the game, but the Minutewomen would shrink the advantage and eventually take over with a 12-0 run leading 12-5 with 12:36 on the clock.

A breakaway layup from UD's Marie Rosche would give the Flyers their first basket in more than three minutes at 12:01.

Dayton attempted to battle back as Ross netted a shot and Cloxton hit a long range three, following it up with a jumper on the next possession. The basket helped UD pull within two points with less than 10 minutes to play in the half (16-14).

However, UMass would keep up the tempo behind McDonald and Mills. The Minutewomen continued to extend the score as Benton drilled a three pointer at 1:32 and Rosanio sank a jumper 30 seconds later. UMass would never relinquish the edge taking a 33-21 score into the break.

The Flyers shot a frigid 27.6 percent from the floor and was just 2-of-11 from three point range in the half, while Massachusetts connected on 15-of-31 shots to finish 48.1 percent from the field.

Mills continued to heat it up after the intermission scoring UMass' first eight points in the frame.

Oakland hit her first field goal of the game at 15:14 and Lund followed with her first three pointer at 14:46, but the Flyers still trailed by 11 points (39-28).

UD would come as close as eight points at the 7:20 mark behind a three from Ross and a jumper from Lund, but could never regain the lead eventually losing 56-46 to the Minutewomen.

Dayton will remain on the road, but will stay close to home to for a rematch with I-75 rival Xavier on Wednesday, Feb. 27. The Flyers and Musketeers will face off at 7 p.m. ET in the Cintas Center. Wednesday's game can be followed with Gametracker and live audio (1610 Information Radio) at www.DaytonFlyers.com.