Tulane University
Lehigh (Fiesta Bowl Classic)
Women's Hoops Holds Off Lehigh, 65-63, in Arizona
Dec 4, 2005 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 4, 2005
TUCSON, Ariz. - In its fourth game decided by five points or less, the Tulane women's basketball team claimed its third victory of the season, 65-63, as Lehigh's game-winning shot was put off after the McKale Center's final horn sounded in the consolation game of the Mission Management & Trust Fiesta Bowl Classic.
Lehigh pulled to within three, 62-59, behind a basket by Jenny Callen with 1:50 left on the clock, but freshman point guard Ashley Langford hit both ends of the one-and-one with 23.9 seconds left to put Green Wave lead at five. Tulane fouls put Jenny Callen on the line twice, and she hit three free throws to trim the lead to two.
A missed charity shot by the Green Wave set up the last-second drama as the ball was rebounded by Lehigh with one second left. The Mountain Hawks sent the ball downcourt to Sara Ellis who missed a shot that was rebounded by Adrienne Blount. Blount's put-back was called off as officials determined time had expired before the ball was released.
"In that last possession we learned a lot about what could happen." Tulane head coach Lisa Stockton said. "As a young team, we can take a lot away from this. One thing we've done well is making free throws down the stretch, and that didn't happen this weekend."
Freshman reserve Megan Valicevic put the Wave ahead on a classic three-point play at the 10:05 mark in the second half. After two consecutive stops by the Green Wave defense, Valicevic scored four points, two off of a reverse lay-up on the baseline to push the score to 48-42. The lead increased to nine as Jennifer Sands went inside for a bucket and then moved to the wing on the next possession to nail a three with 6:57 to play.
As the Wave passed the ball inside, Kendra Barnes was fouled under the basket. The freshman from Sapulpa, Okla., made her first free throw attempt to move the score to 65-61. Two more free throws by Callen brought Lehigh to within two, 65-63, with three ticks on the clock, but the lead held as the Green Wave moved to 3-1 on the season.
Valicevic led the way for the Green Wave, coming off of the bench to score 14 points on five-of-seven shooting. Sands went a flawless five-for-five from the floor for 11 points while junior guard Jami Montagnino added 10 and Nikki Luckhurst tossed in nine. Freshman guard Sasha Staidum grabbed a team-high nine rebounds and sophomore Dominique Philpots blocked a career-high four shots off of the bench.
"Megan (Valicevic) played very aggressively and with no fear, and it was great to see a freshman step up like that," Stockton said. "We've needed perimeter rebounds this year, and Sash (Staidum) did a nice job with that. An important part about this team is that we have different kids that can step up at given times. Having Megan lead us in scoring tonight was key."
With the teams even at 17, Montagnino hit her first three of the afternoon at the 6:07 mark in the first half, which was followed by a Luckhurst three on the next trip down the floor as the Wave built a six-point lead. The Mountain Hawks trimmed the lead by three as Tulane headed to the locker room with a 27-24 advantage.
Callen led Lehigh (2-5) with 10 rebounds and matched 19 points by Sara Ellis for the team lead.
Tulane returns to action on Dec. 18 when it plays its true home opener against Central Connecticut State at Fogelman Arena. The game will mark the first college or professional competition in New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina devastated the city on Aug. 29.
