Feb. 16, 2011
Box Score
PHILADELPHIA - The Explorers returned home to Tom Gola Arena Wednesday night and picked up a close 85-84 win against Charlotte.
The 49ers entered the game with an 8-2 Atlantic 10 record at tip off, good for third in the conference.
Senior Ashley Gale finished with 29 points. Freshman Jess Koci added seven rebounds and would tie her career high of 14 points, going four-for-nine from the field and six-for-six from the free throw line. Sophomore Alexis Scott also hit double figures for La Salle with 14 points.
La Salle has now clinched a spot in the A-10 Tournament, which will be held from March 4-7 in Lowell, Mass.
“This win gives us a lot of confidence,” Head Coach Jeff Williams said. “Before the game, we talked about being able to get off to a good start and closing it out with a strong finish.”
The Explorers would get off to that good start, as they hung with the 49ers throughout much of the first half. The lead changed hands four times in the first seven minutes of play before a 9-0 La Salle run gave the Blue and Gold a 10-17 lead.
The run began as Koci picked up a defensive rebound on a missed shot by Charlotte’s Kendria Holmes.
Charlotte rallied back from the seven point deficit and eventually take the lead on a fast break from Holmes with 8:35 remaining in the first half.
The Explorers remained close, tying the game four times in the final minutes of the first half. With two minutes remaining, La Salle freshman Michea Bryant tied the game once again with a mid-range jumper.
As those final two minutes ticked away, the Explorers found themselves on the wrong end of a 7-0 run leaving them with a seven point, 45-38 deficit at the half.
But after the break, the Explorers slowly picked away at the 49ers’ lead.
With 12:44 remaining in regulation, sophomore Ebonee Jones began a 7-0 Explorer run, rattling off all seven points.
Her layup at 12:44 brought the Explorers within one at 56-57.
Her next bucket, a close-range jumper, would bring the first lead change of the second half, giving the Explorers a one-point edge. Jones then found her stroke from beyond the arc, draining a three-point basket to give La Salle a four point lead.
The Explorers would hold that lead throughout much of the second half, although Charlotte was never far behind. The Explorers would never hold more than a six point lead through the remainder of the contest.
With five minutes remaining in the second half and the Explorers holding onto a 75-71 lead, the teams began trading buckets.
With 1:27 remaining in the game, and the Explorers leading by two points, Koci picked up her fifth foul of the night sending Charlotte’s Jai Forney to the charity stripe. Forney would sink both shots, tying the game for the first time since the first half at 79-79.
A foul called on Shannon McCallum allowed junior Nadia Duncan to visit the free throw line, where she made both shots to put the Explorers ahead by two.
The 49ers would respond one final time, tying the game at 81 points after Epiphany Woodson drove through the lane to make a layup.
On the other end of the floor, Gale was fouled by Woodson, her fifth personal foul.
Gale’s free throws found the basket, giving La Salle a two point lead. From the charity stripe, Gale was perfect on the night, going 10-for-10.
“I just do whatever I have to do to help my team win,” Gale said. “Our attitude is that we have nothing to lose.”
“She made plays,” said Williams of Gale. “It’s just Ashley being Ashley. But, her biggest play was the steal at the end of the game.”
Gale forced a turnover by Charlotte’s Jennifer Hailey after Duncan missed a pair of free throws and Hailey came down with the board with five seconds on the clock. Gale was fouled and her free throws gave La Salle a four-point cushion.
The game wasn’t over until the final buzzer sounded; Woodson would hit a half-court shot with no time left in regulation to cut the Explorers’ final lead to one point.
That steal was Gale’s fourth of the game and 81st of the season. It puts her third all-time at La Salle in single season steals. Gale is now one steal away from tying Shiela Wall for second all-time.
The game was tabbed a WBCA Pink Zone game. All members of the Explorers team donned pink warm-ups, pink shoelaces, and sweatbands. Fans were encouraged to wear pink, and pink ribbons were sold to raise money and awareness for breast cancer research.
The Explorers travel to Hawk Hill on Saturday to compete in their final Big 5 matchup of the season, as they face Saint Joseph’s.
