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Lady Paladins Complete Season Sweep of GSU With 68-60 Victory
Feb. 15, 2005
GREENVILLE, South Carolina - Furman's Lady Paladins basketball team scored its final 11 points at the free throw line Monday night in Timmons Arena, to complete a season sweep of Georgia Southern with a 68-60 Southern Conference victory.
The Eagles took a 7-0 lead in the game, but Furman went on a 12-3 run to take its first lead, 12-10, with 12:22 left to play in the first half. After stretching its lead to as many as seven, 21-14, on a Laney Harris three pointer, the Lady Paladin offense slowed and GSU went on a 13-5 run to hold a 27-26 lead at halftime.
Georgia Southern guard Tiffany Brown connected on a three-pointer just 43 seconds into the second half to put the Eagles ahead by four, but Furman regained the lead with 17:09 left on the clock on a Tommi Paris layup. Another Harris trey at 8:59 gave the Lady Paladins a 13-point advantage, and a made free throw by Jen Nadalin gave Furman its largest lead of the night, 53-39, with 8:03 to play.
GSU scored on three consecutive possesions to cut the Furman lead to eight, but FU answered with a 5-1 run to again lead by double figures, 58-46. Over the final 2:26, the Eagles connected on four treys, but the Lady Paladins sank 10 free throws in 12 attempts to secure the eight-point victory and hold onto a tie for second in the Southern Conference standings.
"It is really important for our team to get to the free throw line," said coach Sam Dixon, whose Lady Paladins made 27 of 38 free throws in the victory. "We have done an excellent job all year of concentrating on that area, and it has been a big plus for us,".
The Lady Paladins were led on the night by Paris, who poured in 20 points with four assists and three steals. Harris added 13 points with four made treys, while Jen Nadalin tallied 10. Forward Katie Roach was Furman's top playmaker, with five assists, and also paced the Lady Paldins with five rebounds.
"Tommi has played excellent the last two games," said Dixon. "She has done exactly what a point guard is supposed to do. She has controlled the tempo of the game, she has made shots when she is open, she hasn't really forced anything, she has gotten us into our sets and she has delivered the ball to the proper people. I think she has grown up this past weekend and been a big plus for us."
Georgia Southern was led in the game by Brown's 22 points, which is a new career high for the freshman from Waxhaw, N.C. Dana Benemon recorded a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Shawnda Atwood and Lee Dubose set new career highs with nine rebounds each.
With the win the Lady Paladins improve to 17-7 overall and 12-5 in the Southern Conference, while Georgia Southern falls to 12-12 overall and 9-9 in league play. The Lady Paladins will end their regular season home slate with a 3 p.m. game this Saturday, Feb. 19, against the Catamounts of Western Carolina. The Eagles will play at Savannah State on Thursday. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
