Providence College Athletics
Providence College
9-16, 3-11
Miami (Fla.)
15-9, 7-6
Women's Basketball Loses To Miami, 77-64
2/22/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 22, 2003
CORAL GABLES, FLA. - The Providence College women's basketball team was defeated by Miami, 77-64, in BIG EAST Conference action on Saturday, February 22 in Coral Gables, Florida. The loss marked the fourth-straight for the Friars, who fall to 9-16 overall and 3-11 in the BIG EAST. Senior center Kacee Wheeler (Bakersfield, Calif.) led the Friars with 17 points. Sophomore forward Jessica Simmonds (South Orange, N.J.) registered her fourth double-double of the season with 16 points and 13 rebounds.
The Hurricanes held a 37-28 lead at halftime, and were led by freshman sensation Tamara James, who scored 15 of her game-high 30 points in the first half. Miami led by as many as 16 points (35-19) with 4:39 remaining in the opening session. However, Providence rallied to cut lead to nine points at the halftime break (37-28), as it finished the half on a 9-2 scoring run. Senior guard Brooke Freeburg (Waterford, Pa.) led the Friars in the first period with eight points, followed by Wheeler who netted seven points. As a team, PC shot 35.7 percent (10-28) from the field in the half, including 75.0 percent (3-4) from beyond the three-point arc. The Friars also connected on five-of-seven attempts (71.4 percent) from the foul line. The Hurricanes shot 45.7 percent (16-35) from the field in the first half, despite shooting a dismal 23.1 percent (3-13) from three-point territory. Miami connected on two-of-two attempts (100 percent) from the foul line.
In the second half, the Friars started play on a 19-12 run to get within two points (49-47) with 11:52 on the game clock. The Hurricanes regrouped to push the lead back to 10 points (59-49) with 9:18 to play on a 10-2 run, and extended the run over the next 7:11 of the game to gain their largest lead of 17 points (74-57) with 3:07 remaining.
Joining Wheeler and Simmonds in double figures was Freeburg, who finished the game with 13 points. Simmonds added a team-high four steals and game-high two blocked shots. Junior guard Kristin Quinn (Sewell, N.J.) left the game at the 11:52 mark after she converted on a lay-up and was fouled to get PC within three points. Quinn did not return to the court as she needed stitches on her mouth. Quinn finished the day with seven points, three steals, one block and one rebound. Sophomore guard Keisha Blackwell (Baltimore, Md.) replaced Quinn and hit the subsequent free-throw to cut Miami's lead to two (49-47).
Also finishing in double figures for Miami were Meghan Saake and Melissa Knight, who scored 17 and 15 points, respectively. In addition to James' game-high 30 points, she pulled down a team-high eight rebounds. Yalonda McCormick dished out a game-high 11 assists for the 'Canes, who improve their record to 15-9 overall and 7-6 in the BIG EAST.
Providence (9-16, 3-11 BIG EAST) returns to action against No. 1-ranked Connecticut in BIG EAST Conference action on Saturday, March 1 in Providence, R.I. The game is scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. in Alumni Hall's Mullaney Gymnasium on the campus of Providence College.
