Lady Pirates Defeat USF For Second Conference Win
January 11, 2004 | Women's Basketball
GREENVILLE, N.C. -- The East Carolina women's basketball team recorded its fifth consecutive win, as they completed an opening weekend sweep in Conference USA play with a 65-55 win over USF Sunday afternoon inside Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum. It was ECU's ninth win in its last 10 games.
ECU (11-4, 2-0) jumped out early on USF (7-8, 0-2) behind a pair of baskets by Courtney Willis and Shanita Sutton, to give the Lady Pirates a, 9-2, lead at the 12:45 mark in the first. The Lady Pirates would extend their lead to eight, the largest of the half, 15-7, when LaToya Horton found freshman guard Keisha Anthony cutting through the box for a layup.
The Lady Bulls would cut the lead to one, 15-14, on an Alana Tanksley three-pointer with 5:01 remaining until the intermission. But ECU would build its lead back to eight, 22-14, when Willis connected on back-to-back layups, and Anthony hit the first of three shots from behind the arc. The Lady Pirates would take a, 25-21, lead into the break behind 11 first half points by Willis.
In the second half both teams would go on streaks of scoring in the first 8:44 of play. USF tied the game at 27, on a pair of free throws by Anedra Gilmore. ECU's Sutton and Willis continued the inside dominance for the Pirates, as they each hit baskets under the net to put ECU up by five, 32-27, with 17:11 left to play. An outside jumper by Jessica Dickson would tie the game for the fourth time of the half at 39.
With 11:16 remaining in regulation, the Lady Pirates outside game finally took shape, when Alisha Bishop dropped in a three-pointer for a, 42-39 lead. Over the next eight minutes, ECU would build its lead to 10, 59-49, behind a pair of three-pointers from Jennifer Jackson, and another from Anthony.
After a pair of Willis free throws, the Lady Pirates had their largest lead of the day, 61-49, with 1:34 left. Down the stretch, ECU would hit 4-of-6 from the foul line to secure a 65-55 win.
ECU's Willis lead all players on the afternoon, with 22 points and 10 rebounds. She recorded her ninth double-double of the season, and her second in C-USA action. Anthony poured in a career-high 17 points, hitting 6-of-10 from the floor, including 3-of-4 from three-point land. ECU scored 30 of its 65 points in the paint, 10 came off turnovers, and 13 were second chance points.
Rachael Sheets quietly put in 15 points to lead USF in scoring. Fellow Lady Bull, Jessica Dickson added 14 points and nine boards in the loosing effort.
ECU will return to action Friday, Jan. 16, when they travel to New Orleans to take on Tulane at 8 p.m. eastern. The Lady Pirates will finish their first C-USA road trip of the season on Sunday, when face Southern Miss before heading home to play Charlotte on Jan. 25.
East Carolina v. USF
Jan. 11, 2004
Postgame Notes
East Carolina v. USF
Jan. 11, 2004
Head Coach Sharon Baldwin-Tener Quotes
