Dec. 6, 2005

Box Score

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ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Navy began the second half by converting 7-of-11 shots from the field during an 18-4 run on its way to an eventual 79-50 victory over Morgan State, Tuesday night in Alumni Hall. The win improves Navy's record to 5-2 on the season, while Morgan State fell to 0-5 on the year.

The Mids took a 36-30 lead into halftime before breaking open the game at the start of the second half. After missing its first two attempts from the field in the opening minute of the half, Navy made its next four shots to take 46-32 lead. Navy would again misfire on back-to-back attempts, but followed by converting three-straight shots to pull ahead 54-34 with 13:04 left in the game.

Keying the Navy sprint was Ashley Pelzek (Sr., East Longmeadow, Mass.) who was 4-of-4 from behind the three-point line during the streak.

Navy's defense also played well to start the second half, limiting the Lady Bears to 1-of-11 shooting from the field during the opening six minutes of the half.

The Mids would hold at least a 20-point advantage over the remainder of the contest.

Navy shot just 38.2 percent from the field and 27.3 percent (3-of-11) from behind the three-point line and turned the ball over 12 times during the first half, but shot 43.3 percent from the field, made 6-of-10 three-point attempts and committed only eight turnovers during the second half. The nine three-pointers made by the Mids in the game was a season high, as was the 57 rebounds hauled in by Navy.

The offense for the Mids was very balanced between its inside and outside players in the game. Navy's post players had great success in the first half, totaling 25 of the team's 36 points, with the perimeter players tallying 33 of the 43 points scored by the Mids after intermission.

The Mids held Morgan State to 25.3 percent shooting from the field in the game, including 21.1 percent after halftime.

"Our offense really fed off of our defense at the start of the second half," said Navy head coach Tom Marryott. "We came out strong on the defensive end and that gave us a lot of confidence on offense. We also were very balanced tonight."

Pelzek tied a career high with five three-point field goals made and surpassed the 20-point mark for the second time this season with 21. Betsy Burnett (Jr., New Holstein, Wis.) led Navy in scoring in the first half with nine points and finished the game with 12, the fourth-straight game in which she has scored in double figures. Just missing a double-double for the Mids was Lindi Conner (So., Kingman, Kan.) with 11 points and a career-high nine rebounds.

Morgan State was led in scoring by Whitney Johnson who totaled 24 points, with all but five coming in the first half.

Navy, which won four nonconference games during all of last season, will look for its sixth victory of the young season Friday night when the Mids play host to Delaware State. Tipoff time is slated for 7:30 p.m. in Alumni Hall.