Feb. 17, 2008

Final Stats

Johnson C. Smith University and Shaw University women's basketball teams made their television debuts at Broughton High School in Raleigh. It was the Lady Bears who emerged victorious by a score of 65-54.

Shaw opened the game on a 13-3 run forcing head coach Vanessa Taylor to call a time out. JCSU answered that with a 15-7 run themselves cutting the deficit to just two (20-18) with seven minutes left to play. The Lady Bears regained some momentum and went into the locker room up by seven, 32-25.

Shaw built up a double-digit lead in the second half, though Smith brought it down to eight several times. With just two minutes left in the game, the score was 59-51. Smith missed some important second-chance shots to make it a two-possession game and was forced to start fouling, en route to the 11 point win for the Lady Bears.

Neither team took care of the ball well as both Shaw and Smith committed 30 turnovers each. No other statistical category stands out in this game other than shooting. Shaw took 13 fewer shots (59 compared to 72) than Smith but made one less (23 compared to 24). JCSU had several second chance shots but Shaw crashed the boards on the defensive end of things.

Rochelle Bodie, (Raleigh, N.C.) playing in front her hometown crowd for the last time as a Golden Bull, led the offensive and defensive charge for JCSU. The senior had 13 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks in the contest. She is now just three rebounds away from 1,000 in her career. Sophomore Kyria Buford (Charlotte, N.C.) and senior Shemika Jones (Largo, Md.) both had 11 points in the loss.

Two new Lady Bear faces competed in the contest that was not there when the squads met in November. Senior Celanese Bozeman, who was out with a knee injury, and freshman Shana Andrus. Both these young ladies were difference makers in the outcome of today's contest. Bozeman led all scorers with 15 points, lighting it up from three-point range (3-of-6). Andrus, made her presence immediately felt as she had nine points, eight rebounds, six assists and five steals in just 26 minutes of play. Tanisha McGaughey had a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds.

JCSU falls to 17-8 overall, 13-4 in conference play and 5-2 in the division. Shaw improves to 17-11 overall, 14-3 in league play and 6-2 in the division.

JCSU's loss sends Shaw into the driver's seat of the western division, though Smith has one more divisional game left to play. The Bulls host Fayetteville State on Tuesday, Feb. 19th. Shaw has a conference but not divisional game to play when they host Virginia State on Tuesday as well.

If JCSU wins their contest on Tuesday, they would be in a tie with Shaw for first-place in the division with a 6-2 record. CIAA rules states

5.1.7.b In case of a tie, the standings will be determined as follows �� Divisional Record �� Head-to-Head Competition �� Conference Record �� Coin Toss