January 19, 2008

Boxscore

DUE WEST, S.C.—Senior forward Jackie Cromer (Greensboro, N.C.) scored a career-high and team-high 12 points for visiting St. Andrews Presbyterian College, but host Erskine College shot 55.9-percent from the field en route to an 88-61 Conference Carolinas victory in women’s basketball action on Saturday afternoon.

The Flying Fleet connected on 15-of-32 (46.9%) attempts from behind the arc to improve to 2-10 overall and 2-5 in the league. The Lady Knights tie their season-high of six 3-pointers but it was not enough falling to 3-11 and 2-6.

Erskine started the game with a 12-0 run in the first six minutes before Cromer hit St. Andrews first basket. The Flying Fleet continued to lead by 13 (19-6) before a three-pointer by Cromer started a 15-4 surge by the Knights. Cromer, who had not hit a three-pointer on the season, made a second trey during the run to pull St. Andrews to within two, 23-21, with six minutes left in the first half.

The Fleet quickly regained a double-digit lead with a 16-4 burst in the next 3 1/2 minutes to pull ahead 39-25. The Knights inched the halftime deficit to nine, 44-35, after junior Desiree Jones (Tulsa, Okla.) hit a three-pointer in the final 30 seconds.

Cromer led the Knights into the locker room with 10 points on 3-of-4 shooting from the field and a perfect 2-for-2 from the free throw line. Senior April Johnson (McColl, S.C.) connected on 4-of-5 shots in the first period for eight points.

Erskine took the nine-point lead into the locker room shooting 56.3-percent from the field compared to 41.9% by SAPC. The Flying Fleet also held a 19-13 rebounding edge after 20 minutes.

St. Andrews scored the first seven points of the second half including the Knights sixth 3-pointer of the game by freshman Kristin Zipkin (Canton, Ga.) to make the contest a one-possession game, 44-42. However, Erskine scores the next seven points to regain its nine-point cushion, 51-42.

The Flying Fleet pulled away for good building its lead to 20 (63-43) on a 19-1 run in which they held the Knights without a field goal for over seven minutes. The much-deeper Erskine squad continued to pull away in the final frame and the final score, 88-61, was its largest lead of the contest.

Both teams pulled down 35 rebounds and committed 15 turnovers but the hot shooting Fleet, especially from downtown, was the difference in the game.

Cromer finished with a team-high 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting while Jones was the only other Knight to reach double digits with 10 points. Johnson and freshman Franchaze Waters (Annapolis, Md.) both tallied nine points while Zipkin finished with eight. Jones and Johnson tied for team-high honors with six rebounds apiece. Zipkin dished out a team-high three assists.

Mary Ann Langford and Karen Anger led four Flying Fleet players in double-digits, each bucketing 20 points. Audrey Timmerman and Lauren Brendle followed with 17 and 10 points, respectively. Carolina Crowell had a game-high nine boards.

St. Andrews next hosts Conference Carolinas foe Limestone College on Monday at 5:30 p.m.