Ponies fall short in C-USA semifinal
Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2006 11:13 pmMustangs fall to Rice, 57-52, in C-USA semifinal game
Kendall Shead totals a career-high 28 points
SMU Falls to Rice, 57-52, in C-USA Semifinal Game
March 4, 2006
Box Score
DALLAS (SMU) - The SMU women's basketball team fought through fatigue and dead legs in Saturday's Conference USA semifinal game against Rice, but came up short with a 57-52 loss to the Owls at Moody Coliseum before a vocal crowd of 2,077 fans. With the loss, SMU drops to 16-14 and now waits to see if a WNIT bid is in its future. Rice posted its ninth straight win (17-12) and will face Tulsa (24-5) in the championship game Sunday afternoon.
In the first half, SMU came out flat while Rice went on a 7-0 run. SMU did not get its first points of the game until the 15:16 mark when Janielle Dodds popped in a jumper. The Mustangs looked fatigued and allowed Rice to build up a 14-point lead (26-12) with 4:11 remaining in the half. SMU found itself down by a score of 32-19 at the intermission.
In the second half, SMU came out with renewed vigor and energy, opening with a 9-0 run to cut the lead to four points (32-28) at the 16:26 mark. Kendall Shead scored 22 second-half points to keep SMU in the game. The Mustangs got within two points (51-49) with 2:42 left in the contest, but missed critical shots down the stretch. Rice nailed six free throws in the final minute of the game to seal the victory.
SMU's Kendall Shead posted a career-high 28 points, going 12-of-21 from the floor. She added eight rebounds and four steals. No other Mustang player recorded double-figure marks. The game's leading scorer was Rice's Lauren Neaves with 36 points and 10 boards.
Kendall Shead totals a career-high 28 points
SMU Falls to Rice, 57-52, in C-USA Semifinal Game
March 4, 2006
Box Score
DALLAS (SMU) - The SMU women's basketball team fought through fatigue and dead legs in Saturday's Conference USA semifinal game against Rice, but came up short with a 57-52 loss to the Owls at Moody Coliseum before a vocal crowd of 2,077 fans. With the loss, SMU drops to 16-14 and now waits to see if a WNIT bid is in its future. Rice posted its ninth straight win (17-12) and will face Tulsa (24-5) in the championship game Sunday afternoon.
In the first half, SMU came out flat while Rice went on a 7-0 run. SMU did not get its first points of the game until the 15:16 mark when Janielle Dodds popped in a jumper. The Mustangs looked fatigued and allowed Rice to build up a 14-point lead (26-12) with 4:11 remaining in the half. SMU found itself down by a score of 32-19 at the intermission.
In the second half, SMU came out with renewed vigor and energy, opening with a 9-0 run to cut the lead to four points (32-28) at the 16:26 mark. Kendall Shead scored 22 second-half points to keep SMU in the game. The Mustangs got within two points (51-49) with 2:42 left in the contest, but missed critical shots down the stretch. Rice nailed six free throws in the final minute of the game to seal the victory.
SMU's Kendall Shead posted a career-high 28 points, going 12-of-21 from the floor. She added eight rebounds and four steals. No other Mustang player recorded double-figure marks. The game's leading scorer was Rice's Lauren Neaves with 36 points and 10 boards.