Navy Offense Struggles at the Start of an Eventual Loss

Jan. 23, 2008

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- A slow start to the game cost the Navy women's basketball team in a 62-51 loss to Holy Cross, Wednesday evening at Alumni Hall.

Holy Cross (10-9, 3-1 Patriot League) jumped out to a 13-2 lead six minutes into the game as Navy (4-15, 0-4) misfired on eight of its opening nine shots from the field, while also turning the ball over six times during this span. After the poor start, Navy's offense found a little rhythm as the Mids shot 50 percent (9-18) from the floor over the remainder of the half, but Holy Cross still held a 35-26 advantage at intermission.

Navy turned the ball over 15 times in the first half with those miscues directly leading to 19 of the 35 points compiled by the Crusaders. Holy Cross would shoot 42.3 percent from the field (11-of-26) and convert 5-of-10 three-point field goal attempts in the first half, with Navy shooting 37 percent from the floor (10-of-27) and sinking 2-of-8 attempts from behind the three-point line.

The Mids trailed by as many as 22 points in the second half before slicing that margin in half by the end of the game.

"We were ineffective on offense, especially at the start of the game," said Navy head coach Tom Marryott. "We gave away too many opportunities with turnovers, many of them unforced. Compounding that was the points Holy Cross was able to score from our mistakes. When we took our time, showed patience and went into an offense, we were able to find good shots available for us. But when we hurried to try to make up the deficit all at once, we came away with either poor shooting opportunities or we tossed up a poor shot."

Both teams made an identical number of field goals in the game, 17, with Holy Cross tallying seven three-point field goals to five for Navy. The Crusaders also were 21-of-23 from the foul line (91.3%) while the Mids made just 12-of-19 attempts from the charity stripe (63.2%).

Navy totaled 24 turnovers in the game, which led to 29 points for Holy Cross, while the Mids scored just nine points following the 16 turnovers committed by the Crusaders. Navy held a 19-12 advantage in offensive rebounds in the game, but the Mids managed to score just 13 second chance points.

Cassie Consedine (Fr., Bartlesville, Okla.) led Navy with 11 points and five blocked shots on the night. She has now totaled 51 blocks on the year, which breaks the Navy single season record of 48 set by Yolanda Ray during the 1993-94 season.

Additionally for Navy, Kelly Altschul (So., Highland Village, Texas) led the Mids with a career-high seven rebounds.

Briana McFadden scored 14 points to lead Holy Cross.

Navy will play host to Army Sunday at 2:30 p.m. in an already sold out Alumni Hall. It will be televised on a taped-delayed basis by ESPNU later that evening at 6:30 p.m.

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