Jan. 5, 2010

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PHILADELPHIA - In its final non-conference game of the season, La Salle Women's Basketball looked to enter conference play on a two-game winning streak, but Princeton's 44.6 percent field goal shooting and its 46-28 rebounding advantage paced the Tigers to victory at Tom Gola Arena on Tuesday afternoon, 68-49.

Tuesday's matinee was part of Elementary School Day and the kids in attendance pushed the record of a women's-only game crowd at La Salle to 1,762. It bested the previous mark of 1,476 the women drew on Feb. 1, 1998 in La Salle's first home game ever at the Hayman Center (later change to Tom Gola Arena) - a 67-55 loss to Virginia Tech.

Princeton (12-2) kicked off the game on an 8-0 scoring run which was capped off by a Lauren Edwards three-point basket. After Jamie Walsh scored the first La Salle basket, the Tigers went on to take their largest lead of the first half when Niveen Rasheed scored on a layup, 20-2.

Rasheed, who is the team leader in scoring and rebounding, finished Tuesday's contest one rebound shy of a double-double, ending with 12 points on 6-of-10 shooting, nine boards, a game-high five assists and two steals.

With 5:40 remaining in the first half, the Explorers cut the deficit to nine, 25-16, and then a Walsh three pointer rounded out a 9-0 run to pull La Salle closer, 28-25.

Unfortunately, that was the closest the Explorers would get the rest of the way as Princeton closed out the first half on a 7-0 run with Devona Allgood scoring the final basket of the half and the Tigers led at the midway point, 35-25.

Walsh led the Explorers with 13 points on 4-of-9 shooting from the floor and 3-of-8 from beyond the arc to go with another team-best of three assists. With three more three pointers, she will pass Meghan Wilkinson (2001-05) to become the school's all-time leader in three-point makes. Walsh has connected on 173 three pointers up to this point.

For Princeton, Allgood led all participants with 17 points and 13 rebounds. The Tigers' largest lead of the game came with 1:33 left when a Laura Johnson three pointer put them up by 21, 68-47.

Morgan Robertson was the second and final Explorer in double figures with 10 points and five rebounds. Danielle Mickiewicz chipped in with six points and six rebounds and Nadia Duncan and Danielle Callahan each had five points.

La Salle (5-10) shot 93.3 percent from the charity stripe (14-for-15), but was outscored in the paint, 30-16, and in second chance opportunities, 17-4.

The Explorers will commence Atlantic 10 action on the road Saturday when they visit Richmond for a 2 PM start.