Panthers stop University of Dallas to end losing streak:: Women's Basketball :: Athletics :: LaGrange College

Panthers stop University of Dallas to end losing streak
Dec. 30, 2007

LaGrange College snapped a four-game losing streak with a 69-52 win over the University of Dallas on Sunday at Mariotti Gymnasium. The Panthers upped their season record to 4-6 with the non-conference win. The Crusaders, in the midst of five games in a seven-day stretch, dropped to 6-5.

LaGrange offset 31 turnovers with a 44-23 rebounding advantage. Senior Jessica Barba led the Panthers with a career-high 15 rebounds to go with a game-high 16 points. Valeree Williams followed Barba with 15 points, while Ashley DeFreitas added 11.

The Panthers held Dallas' top scorers, Shanie Cardinal and Cara Sczepanski to a combined 15 points. The duo came into the game averaging 29 points between them. Cardinal led the Crusaders with 12 points, while Jesse Allen added 10.

LaGrange shot 51.9 percent from the field in the game. The Panthers shot 60.9 percent in the second half. Dallas was held to 31.9 percent shooting in the game. The Crusaders shot 26.9 percent from the field in the first half.

The Panthers never trailed in the game. Leading 6-4 in the early going, the Panthers went on a 10-1 run for a 16-5 lead. Williams finished the run with a basket off a turnover.

LaGrange led 29-13 with 1:38 left in the half after a 3-pointer from Ebonie Johnson and a jumper from Williams. Dallas scored the final seven points of the half to trail 29-20 at the break. Cardinal hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to end the half.

Cardinal got the Crusaders within six at the outset of the second half. She completed a three-point play to make it 33-27 with 18:32 left. Joirdan Cole followed with a layup to make it a four-point game. The Crusaders never got closer the rest of the way.

The Panthers answered with a 9-0 run to put the game out of reach. Barba finished the spurt with a jumper after Jessica Boler made a steal at the defensive end. Barba's basket with 3:47 left gave the Panthers their biggest lead of the game, 60-38.

The Panthers host Agnes Scott on Friday in a GSAC game beginning at 6 p.m. The Crusaders travel to Montgomery, Ala. to face the University of the South on Monday and Huntingdon on New Year's Day.