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Mustangs Advance to WAC Semifinals with Win over Fresno State
3/7/2001 12:00:00 AM | Tulsa Hurricane
March 7, 2001
Tulsa, Okla. - The SMU women's basketball team got a bit of a scare from the Fresno State Bulldogs, but rallied back to defeat Fresno State by the score of 61-56 Wednesday evening at the Donald W. Reynolds Center in Tulsa, Okla. in quarterfinal action of the 2001 Williams WAC Basketball Tournament. With the win, SMU extends its winning streak to four games (ties a season-best mark) and holds a 17-11 overall mark going into Friday's semifinal game.
SMU seemed to have the game in control right from the start, extending a first-half lead to as many as eight points (24-16) at the 8:15 mark. But the Mustangs went ice cold, going scoreless for the remainder of the first half and saw their lead fall to a six-point Bulldog lead at the half, 30-24. SMU was outrebounded, 30-16, with only three offensive rebounds.
In the second half, SMU stepped up its intensity and saw its scoreless run of nearly 10 minutes end with a free throw by senior guard D-dra Rucker. Opportunities came by SMU's way, but the Mustangs could not capitalize on easy shots. Fresno State increased its lead to 10 points (47-37) with 9:10 left in the game. SMU, however, did not throw in the towel and clawed its way back into the game. SMU regained the lead on a crucial three-point shot by freshman guard Andrea Cossey (53-52) with 4:14 remaining. SMU's next eight points came off free throws with the double bonus in effect for SMU. Fresno State closed to within one point, 56-55, but SMU hit critical free throws to hold on to the lead and the victory.
Rucker led the Mustangs in scoring with 16 points and seven assists. Cossey added 13 points while Christie McPeters and Jackee Brown each contributed 10 points in the SMU win. Fresno State's Lindsay Logan topped all scorers with 19 points. The Bulldogs pulled down a WAC Tournament record 58 rebounds.
SMU awaits the winner of the Tulsa-Hawaii game. The second semifinal game will be played on Friday, March 8, beginning at 6:00 p.m.
