Lady Wildcats Snakebitten; Come Up Short in Last-Moment Comeback Against FAMU, Fall 81-71

FAMU led by double digits for nearly 23 minutes and as many as 22, but B-CU mounted a 17-point rally in the final seven minutes, narrowing the lead to 5 before FAMU pulled away again

	After a down first half, Demetria Frank exploded in the second half to help in the late rally, she finished with 19 points, 11 rebounds, 8 steals, and 7 assists

March 4, 2010

Final Stats

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Tonight's game between the Lady Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman women's basketball and the Lady Rattlers of Florida A&M came to a dramatic ending as FAMU defeated B-CU at the newly-constructed Al Lawson Center on the campus of Florida A&M. The game was a pivotal matchup in the plans of each team as they headed into post-season play at the conference tournament. B-CU came out sluggish and was outshot as the first half wound down, while FAMU built a 17-point halftime lead. Down 22, late in the game, B-CU mounted a massive comeback to narrow the deficit to five, but came up short, and FAMU pulled away in the closing seconds, 81-71.

With tournament seeding on the line, the game had the makings of a shootout from the opening tip. The lead changed hands four times and the score knotted up four as well in the first seven minutes of the game. However, FAMU began to creep ahead as B-CU began to have small scoring droughts, including three minutes near the close of the half which allowed the Lady Rattlers to hit the double-digit mark. In the final three minutes of the half, FAMU launched into a 10-2 run that would send them to the locker room with a 17-point lead.

In the second half, the separation hovered early, keeping FAMU at a safe distance. The first B-CU rally got them as close as 13, near the midpoint of the half, but FAMU was able to catch their breath and hold the Lady Wildcats defensively long enough to push back to 22. The second Lady Wildcat rally began late in the half, as B-CU quietly climbed back into the game, taking advantage of FAMU turnovers and converting to scoring opportunities.

With just over six minutes remaining in the game, the Lady Wildcats ceased the Lady Rattlers scoring attack and put their own points on the board, taking a 15-1 run into the final minute of play. With :32.9 showing on the clock, the Lady Wildcats had sliced the lead to five points, keeping the hope alive for one of the most dramatic comebacks of the season. However, the Lady Rattlers were able to convert five-of-six free throws in the final 30 seconds, and grab a rally-halting steal to seal the victory, overcoming the Lady Wildcats, 81-71.

The Lady Wildcats hit the boards, especially on the offensive glass in tonight's game, but couldn't convert offensively, shooting only 36 percent from the field in the game. Another major offensive hurdle for B-CU was an extremely poor 11-for-20 free throw shooting performance in the second half. On a positive note, the Lady Wildcats blew up in the second half with taking advantage of FAMU turnovers, grabbing a near season-best 13 team steals (12 in second half) and converting for 22 points off turnovers in the second half.

Several players came on strong in the second half, led by Demetria Frank, who only had 4 points at halftime. Frank finished the game nearing a quadruple-double, scoring 19 points, with 11 rebounds, in addition to 8 steals and 7 assists. She led the team tonight in each of those categories. Sarah Bolden also got after it hard in the second half, playing a major role in the late-game charge. Bolden put in 16 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. Jalisa Isaac scored 12 as B-CU's third highest scorer against FAMU.

With the loss, B-CU is 1-10 in the last eleven meetings with FAMU, but the team is already moving on. Head Coach Vanessa Inge cites that it's now 'a new season' as they move into conference tournament play. This season is far from over for the Lady Wildcats, who have won more than any other B-CU team in the last 22 seasons, and have now finalized the first winning regular season in the last eight.

Next up for the Lady Wildcats (15-14, 9-7 MEAC) is the MEAC Basketball Championships in Winston-Salem, N.C. The tournament begins March 9. Falling to FAMU, the Lady Wildcats drop into sixth place in the conference, revealing their path in the tournament. B-CU plays in the third game of the tournament, drawing a matchup with the eleventh-seeded Norfolk State Lady Spartans (4-21, 0-16 MEAC) on Tuesday, March 9 at 4 p.m. The winner faces Morgan State (17-12, 12-4 MEAC).

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