Dec. 19, 2008

Box Score

LAWRENCEVILLE, N,J. - Kristin Bowen (Jr., Monroeville, N.J.) scored 12 of her season-high 14 points over the last 10 minutes of the game, including a key jumper with 44 seconds left to help the Navy women's basketball team secure a 71-64 victory over Rider, Friday night at Alumni Gym in Lawrenceville, N.J.

"I am very happy with the win tonight," said Navy head coach Stefanie Pemper. "It was nice to receive a performance like this on the road. Right from the tip we were focused and together and our confidence was good. That's the first time this season we have been able to sustain all of that for a full 40 minutes on the road."

The score was tied at 42-42 with 12 minutes remaining in the game when Angela Myers (So., San Antonio, Texas) hit a three-point field goal and then a layup to give the Mids (5-7) a 47-42 lead. Lauren Gregg sank a pair of free throws for the Broncs (2-6) to cut the Navy lead to three points, but then Bowen connected on a jumper and a three-point field goal to make the score 52-44 with 9:18 left on the clock. Two minutes later Bowen drilled another trey to give Navy a 57-48 advantage.

Navy would soon take a 10-point lead with five minutes left, but the Broncs rallied and pulled to within three points at 62-59 with 2:40 left to play. Navy's two ensuing possession saw Cassie Consedine (So., Bartlesville, Okla.) convert a pair of free throw attempts, with Rider's Ashley Anderson following each of Consedine's pair of attempts from the line with an offensive carom and putback. Her second tally kept the margin at three points with 1:22 left in the game.

Consedine missed an inside jumper the next time down the floor for the Mids, but she gathered in the offensive rebound with 59 seconds showing on the clock. That led to Bowen's baseline jumper with 44 seconds left that gave Navy a 68-63 lead.

The Broncs missed a jumper on their ensuing trip down the court, with Consedine hauling in the rebound. Rider quickly fouled Whitney Davidson (Sr., New Oxford, Pa.) and sent her to the foul line. Davidson made her first attempt from the charity stripe and missed the second, but there again was Consedine for the rebound and putback to give Navy a 71-63 lead with 29 seconds remaining in the game.

"I think we played very tough tonight," said Pemper. "Both teams were fatigued a bit, but we just physically gutted it out."

After connecting on 6-of-12 shots from beyond the three-point arc, but as a whole shooting just 32 percent from the field in the first half, Navy shot 48 percent from the floor after halftime. The Broncs, in turn shot over 40 percent from the field in both halves.

Both teams grabbed 38 rebounds in the game, with Navy turning the ball over 16 times and forcing Rider into 21 turnovers.

Bowen, who has been slowed by injuries all year and made her season debut in Navy's most recent game Dec. 9 at Towson, missed tying her career high by just one point. She connected on 5-of-6 shots from the field, including 2-of-3 attempts from beyond the arc, in just 19 minutes of playing time.

"In addition to how she shot the ball, Kristin made some nice plays on defense," said Pemper. "She is very competitive and wants to win. She helps lead by example."

Consedine notched her fourth double-double of the season with a game-high 23 points and 10 rebounds, while Davidson tallied 15 points in the game and Kalen Kropa (Sr., Reidsville, N.C.) dished out nine assists.

Rider was led in scoring by Shaunice Parker's 15 points.

Navy will close out its pre-holiday slate of games Monday night when the Mids play host to Radford at 7 p.m. in Alumni Hall.