Providence College Athletics
Providence College
4-7
Coppin State
5-5
Women's Basketball Defeats Coppin State, 69-61
12/30/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 30, 2003
PHILADELPHIA, PA. - The Providence College women's basketball team defeated Coppin State, 69-61, in the consolation game of the La Salle Invitational on Tuesday, December 30 in Philadelphia, Pa. Junior forward/center Gayle Nwafili (Maplewood, N.J.) registered a double-double with 18 points and a career-high 15 rebounds. Senior guard Kristin Quinn (Sewell, N.J.) added 11 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals in the winning effort.
In the first half, Jama Gilmore (Muncie, Ind.) and Jill Furstenburg (Whitehouse Station, N.J.) chipped in eight points apiece enroute to a 39-27 halftime lead. Nwafili contributed seven first half points. Gilmore and Furstenburg each finished the game with 10 points. For Coppin State, LeKesha Wills netted 11 of her teams 27 first half points. The Friars shot above 60-percent in the first half for the second-straight game, connecting on 17-of-28 attempts from the floor (60.7-percent). Twelve of the Friars' 17 field goals were assisted in the opening 20 minutes. PC held Coppin State to 36.7-percent shooting in the first half (11-30).
In the second half, the Friars led by as many as 20 points (55-35) with 9:26 remaining in the game, but Coppin State would attempt to rally in the closing minutes finishing the game on a 26-14 scoring run. Sherrie Tucker would fuel the late rally for Coppin State, scoring 13 of CSC's last 17 points over the final 5:26 of the game. Tucker finished the night with a team-high 17 points. Wills netted 15 points in the game and pulled down a team-high seven rebounds.
Providence College (4-7) will open its BIG EAST Conference schedule on Sunday, January 4 in Blackburg, Virginia against Virginia Tech. The game is scheduled to tip-off at 2:00 p.m. in Cassell Coliseum.
