February 5, 2007

Boxscore

SPARTANBURG, S.C.—Senior guard Karen Foggie (Charlotte, N.C.) scored a season-high 26 points including the go-ahead two free throws with nine seconds left in overtime as St. Andrews Presbyterian College edged host Converse College, 86-85, in non-conference women’s basketball Monday.

The Lady Knights snapped a two-game losing streak improving their overall record to 14-6 while the All Stars fell to 4-22.

Converse held the largest lead of the first half, 24-15, at the midway mark but St. Andrews rallied back with a 12-3 run to tie everything at 27 apiece. The two teams played the final five minutes of the opening frame close with neither squad pulling out more than a four-point advantage. Senior Diana Martinez (Woodbridge, Va.) broke another tie with a layup under 10 seconds left to give the Knights a slim 37-35 lead at halftime.

The second stanza featured more close play as the two teams stayed within single-digits of each other for the whole game. The All Stars were holding onto six-point advantage, 73-67, with four minutes left in regulation but a quick 9-0 run by the visitors catapulted SAPC into the lead, 76-73, with just 2:28 left.

The Lady Knights were nursing a two-point lead in the final minute until Kathryn McClain hit a three-pointer to leapfrog Converse back into the lead, 78-77, with 23 seconds showing. With the seconds ticking away, senior Ashley Mitchell (Washington, D.C.) took a potential game-winning shot that missed its mark. However, junior teammate Danielle Norman (Bronx, N.Y.) pulled down the huge offensive rebound while being fouled with four seconds left. Norman drilled the first shot from the charity stripe to tie the game but then missed the second to force overtime.

In the extra five-minute session, the Knights defense stepped up allowing just two field goals and none after the 2:53 mark. Still tied at 84-84, Carla Kantara hit a free throw with 1:42 to go to supply the All Stars with their last lead of the game.

Going into the final minute of OT, Foggie and senior April Henderson (Woodbridge, Va.) came up with two huge offensive boards on two wayward shots to stay alive. Another late foul by Converse sent Foggie to the line with nine seconds left and the four-year veteran showed the nerves of steel making both freebees to lift SAPC into eventual 86-85 final lead. The All Stars last second desperation shot fell short.

The Lady Knights dominated the backboards 46-36 but committed more turnovers, 24-19. St. Andrews shot 42.9% from the floor while Converse connected on 45.6% of their attempts.

Norman posted her seventh double-double of the season bucketing 19 points and snaring a game-high 14 rebounds. Foggie notched her first double-double of the year adding 11 boards to her team-high 26 points. Mitchell and Martinez added 14 and 11 points, respectively.

Kantara led the All Stars with a game-high 28 points followed closely by McClain’s 25 ponts. Brandi Crisitiello chipped in with 17 points and 11 rebounds.

St. Andrews will host CVAC rival Mount Olive College on Thursday evening at 5:30 p.m. The Knights defeated the Trojans 58-53 back on November 30 in Mount Olive, N.C.