Tulane University
James Madison
Nadeau Lifts Tulane Past James Madison In Season Opener
Nov 22, 2002 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 22, 2002
HARRISONBURG, Va. - - Kelly Nadeau had 14 points to lead the Tulane women's basketball team to a 58-46 win over James Madison at the JMU Convocation Center on Friday.
It marked the season-opener for both teams, with Tulane improving to 1-0 and JMU falling to 0-1. The Green Wave have now won four straight season-openers, while JMU had won 15 consecutive home openers before falling on Friday. Tulane also wore light blue uniforms for the first time since the 1989-90 season.
"It was a very physical game, but our guards played very tough," Tulane head coach Lisa Stockton said. "They hit some big shots for us. Kelly Nadeau and Muci Haris, in particular, gave us a lot of energy."
Tulane led by six at halftime thanks to Haris' 10 first-half points. Playing in her first game for Tulane after transfering from Arkansas-Little Rock, Haris hit a pair of three-pointers for Tulane's first two baskets and then hit a lay-up with 7:13 to go in the first half to give the Green Wave the lead for good.
Tulane led 29-23 at halftime, but saw JMU trim that margin to just one, 31-30, at the 16:35 mark. However, Tulane answered with a 14-2 burst to take a 13-point lead. Nadeau and Kinya Lennix hit back-to-back jumpers to start the burst before a Marsha Kinder lay-up brought JMU to within three, 35-32, with 14:19 left. But the Wave scored the next 10 points over a five-minute stretch thanks to some timely shooting and tough defense. Britt Themann hit a big three-pointer and then followed with a pair of free throws. Teana McKiver connected on a free throw and then a shot in the lane to push the lead to 11 before Nadeau hit a running jumper to give Tulane a 45-32 lead with 9:24 left.
James Madison fought back, hitting three straight three-pointers, and pulled to within eight, but Nadeau hit four straight free throws inside the final minute to seal the win.
Nadeau finished with a game-high 14 points and had four assists. Haris had 10 points, four rebounds, a pair of assists and a blocked shot. McKiver, fighting foul trouble most of the game, had eight points and two blocks in just 12 minutes of action.
"This was a good win for our team," Stockton added. "It shows we can win a tough game without a player who will most likely be our leading scorer. Teana being in foul trouble really hurt us tonight, but a lot of player stepped up and hit some important shots for us. WIthout out outside shooting, we would have been in trouble."
Tulane was 6-of-12 from behind the three-point line and had assists on 16 of its 20 field goals. The Wave also fared well from the free throw line, hitting 70.6 percent of their shots from the charity stripe, including a 10-of-12 showing in the second half.
Tulane will return to action next weekend, as the Green Wave travel to the Pacific Northwest to take on Oregon State and Portland over the Thanksgiving break. The Wave open the home portion of the 2002-03 campaign on Thursday, Dec. 5, when the team welcomes Alabama State to Fogelman Arena.
