Tulane University
Drake
No. 21 Green Wave Upset By Drake, 67-58
Dec 21, 2001 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 21, 2001
DES MOINES, Iowa - On its fourth try, Drake finally beat a team in the Top 25.
Drake held No. 21 Tulane to two baskets in the final 11 minutes and got clutch scoring down the stretch from Ja'Nae Mosley in beating the Green Wave 67-58 Friday night.
Mosley and Stephanie Schmitz each scored 14 points to lead the Bulldogs (6-3), who recovered after blowing a 13-point lead early in the second half.
"When they took the lead, we maintained our confidence and that was important," Drake coach Lisa Stone said. "I told them to stay confident, believe in what you're doing and don't ever give in."
Tulane (9-2), which had lost only to No. 7 Purdue, did not make a field goal after Kaisha Lymon hit a jump shot to give the Green Wave a 55-54 lead with 6:36 remaining. Mosley sank two free throws 27 seconds later for a 56-55 Drake lead and the Bulldogs never trailed again.
Mosley came through again with Drake clinging to a 59-57 lead. The Bulldogs were struggling to get someone open as the shot clock was running down. Finally, Mosley hit a jumper as the shot clock buzzer sounded, putting Drake ahead 61-57.
"Our defense had really held at that time," Tulane coach Lisa Stockton said. "We had done a great job denying the ball into the post and that shot kind of broke our back. We missed a shot and then it kind of got out of hand."
Drake rebounded Tulane's miss and finished it off by making free throws, four by Mosley.
Carla Bennett added 13 points and 10 rebounds for Drake. Erin Richards scored nine points, and Maureen Head had eight points and 11 rebounds.
Drake's losses have been to No. 5 Iowa State, No. 15 Wisconsin and No. 18 North Carolina State. The Bulldogs lost at Wisconsin eight days ago after leading by 11 at halftime - the same margin the Bulldogs had at the half Friday night.
"I think we got extremely tougher after the Wisconsin game," Schmitz said. "That game really questioned our toughness as a team."
Reserve Britt Themann's 20 points led Tulane, and Kelly Nadeau scored 11. Foul trouble slowed Tulane's inside players and center Teana McKiver, averaging 18.3 points, was held to seven.
"The fouls really hurt us," Stockton said. "I think they affected our defense more than our offense. When we had our big kids in there, we were blocking shots and doing a good job defensively."
Tulane missed 15 of its last 16 shots in the first half as Drake pulled ahead 37-26. The lead grew to 41-28 on Bennett's layup early in the second half before Tulane rallied with 3-point shooting.
Themann hit three 3-pointers and Nadeau sank two, leading a 21-7 run that sent Tulane into a 49-48 lead with 11:40 remaining. But Tulane made only two more baskets and Drake outscored the Green Wave 19-9 the rest of the way.
By CHUCK SCHOFFNER
AP Sports Writer
