Jan. 16, 2010

Final Stats

EASTON, Pa. -- Lafayette scored 10 of the game's last 13 points to post a 46-43 victory over the Navy women's basketball team Saturday afternoon at the Kirby Sports Center in Easton, Pa.

"It was a disappointing effort. Lafayette came out aggressive on defense and determined on offense and took it to us," said Navy head coach Stefanie Pemper. "We didn't meet the challenge, got frustrated, and beat ourselves. We need to be mentally tougher. We have the ability to have good focus, good hustle, good chemistry, and execute a game plan. Today we forgot that how we perform as a team is more important than the scoreboard."

Both offenses were somewhat stagnant in the first half as Navy (9-9, 1-2 Patriot League) held just a 21-18 lead over Lafayette (4-13, 2-1) at halftime. After the Leopards scored on their initial possession of the second half, the Mids quickly scored the next five points to take their largest lead of the game at 26-20. Navy then held a 29-24 lead before Lafayette tallied the next eight points to take a 32-29 lead with a little more than 10 minutes left to play.

The Mids answered on their next possession when Megan Matheny (Fr., Lexington Park, Md.) knocked down a three-point field goal to tie the game. Those would be the first points of a 7-0 run that allowed Navy to build a 36-32 lead with seven minutes remaining on the clock. Both teams scored field goals on their next two times down the floor, a sequence capped by Chey Arvin (Fr., Noblesville, Ind.) making a layup to give the Mids a 40-36 lead with 5:17 left to play in the game.

Arvin's bucket would prove to be the last field goal made by the Mids on the afternoon.

The two teams traded turnovers on their respective ensuing possessions, then Amanda Leone made a jumper with 4:19 left to play that sliced the margin in half. After the Mids turned the ball over again, a jumper by Melissa Downey knotted the score at 40-40.

Neither team emerged with points on either of their next two possessions, then Angela Myers (Jr., San Antonio, Texas) was fouled with just under three minutes left to play. She made both free throw attempts to break the tie. Myers then committed a foul on LaKeisha Wright that sent the Lafayette player to the free throw line. Wright made one of her two attempts to make the score 42-41 with 2:29 left to play.

Perhaps the play of the game took place on Navy's next possession. Myers received the ball on the left baseline and drove directly to the hoop. After she had released the shot and the ball had hit the backboard, she made contact with a Lafayette player. The ball went into the hoop, but instead of going to the foul line in an attempt to convert a three-point play that would have made the score 45-41 with 2:10 left on the clock, she was whistled for a charging foul.

Lafayette's Wright again went to the free throw line when she was fouled while driving to the hoop on the next Lafayette possession, but this time made both of her attempts to give the Leopards a 43-42 lead with 1:49 left to play. Navy's offense again came away empty on its next possession when K.C. Gordon's (Sr., Vienna, Va.) short jumper spun out of the hoop. Cassie Consedine (Jr., Bartlesville, Okla.) blocked a Lafayette field goal attempt out of bounds. After the Leopards put the ball back into play, Myers picked Downey's pocket and quickly tipped the ball to Matheny. The freshman was fouled two seconds later and went to the free throw line with 65 seconds left to play. She missed the front end of the bonus, with her carom being grabbed by the Leopards.

Lafayette took its time with the ball and eventually Elizabeth Virgin hit a jumper for the Leopards that gave them a 45-42 lead with 41 seconds remaining in the game. However, Virgin fouled Arvin on Navy's next possession, which sent her to the charity stripe for two attempts. Arvin missed the first and made the second attempt to make the score 45-43 with 27 seconds showing on the clock.

The Leopards were able to run 14 seconds off of the clock before Arvin fouled Downey with 13 seconds remaining. Downey missed her first attempt but made the second to increase the margin to three points. Navy rushed the ball down the court and found Consedine open nearly 20 feet from the basket. She turned and fired but her game-tying attempt missed its mark. The ball would soon bounce out of bounds and was awarded to Lafayette with a few seconds remaining. The Leopards were then able to run out the clock to pick up their first win in seven home games this season.

"I give credit to Lafayette," said Pemper. "They were without a key player, but came out with great intensity, togetherness and pride. Their pressure got into our heads. This was a game where the scrappier team beat the team that might be considered more talented on paper."

Navy's offense scored on just two of its last nine possessions of the game, while Lafayette tallied points on six of its last eight possessions.

Navy outshot Lafayette from the field, 36.6%-34.0%, and sank five three-point field goals while holding the Leopards without a trey. However, Lafayette made 12-of-15 attempts from the foul line while Navy was just 8-of-14 from the charity stripe. Additionally, the Leopards won both the rebounding (34-31) and turnover (21-17) margins in the game.

Gordon scored 13 points to reach double figures for the fifth straight game and lead the Mids on the afternoon in both scoring and with eight rebounds. Matheny knocked down 4-of-8 shots from the field on her way to tallying 10 points and three steals.

"K.C. stepped up and I really admire her growth this year. She's always been a consistent competitor for us--which is the ultimate compliment--but this year she's grown in terms of making plays on the offensive end and not letting her perfectionism get the best of her," said Pemper. "Megan was terrific; she's another one who consistently plays hard on defense and has found a way to navigate the offensive end with more confidence. She really took what the defense gave her tonight."

A trio of Leopards scored in double digits in the game, with Sarah McGorry leading the way with a season-high 16 points.

"The basketball gods were in Easton, Pa, today," said Pemper. "Lafayette deserved to win. If we had pulled out a win I'm not sure our players would have understood that you can't play that way and beat a well-coached team. We need to play with more respect for each other and more affection for the game."

Navy will open a three-game homestand Wednesday night when the Mids play host to Holy Cross.