Jan. 12, 2008

Box Score

BRONX, N.Y. - In the first double-overtime game in 14 years for Saint Louis women's basketball, Amy Klotz posted career highs of 19 points and 16 rebounds to power the Billikens to an 84-78 victory over Fordham Saturday afternoon in the Atlantic 10 Conference opener for both teams.

"This was a game that required toughness, courage and heart, and we had those qualities in abundance today," head coach Shimmy Gray-Miller said. "Although there were some great individual performances, the team effort from everyone on the roster was the most important factor. We played with a tremendous amount of pride and poise."

Neither team led by more than two points in either overtime until Amanda Kemezys, who tallied 21 points and a career high-tying 14 rebounds, beat the shot clock with a 12-foot jumper in the lane to hand the Billikens an 82-78 advantage with 28 seconds left. After Fordham misfired on a 3-point try on its next possession, Kemezys made the front end of a two-shot foul, missed the second but grabbed the offensive rebound. A free throw by Theresa Lisch, who led the Bills with 22 points and five assists while adding nine rebounds, concluded the scoring.

Fordham (0-16, 0-1 A-10) had an opportunity to expand a two-point lead in each overtime period, and each time Klotz rescued Saint Louis (6-10, 1-0 A-10). The Rams held a 70-68 edge with less than a minute to play in the first overtime but allowed Klotz to secure an offensive rebound and bank in a layup. Both teams failed to score on their final possessions, and the game went into a second extra session.

Megan Mahoney, who led all players with 30 points, gave Fordham a 76-74 lead in the second OT. But Klotz collected another offensive rebound, her 11th of the game, and scored for a 76-all deadlock. A Mahoney basket was answered by a Kemezys layup for a 78-all tie, and Kemezys hit a short jumper in the lane to give SLU the lead for good, 80-78, at the 2:09 mark.

Fordham assembled an early 10-point lead and led 33-30 at halftime. Saint Louis scored the first seven point of the second half, including a layup by Kemezys that gave the Billikens their first lead, 34-33.

Saint Louis collected season highs of 58 total rebounds and 27 offensive boards and earned a 58-31 rebounding victory, its largest margin of the season. The Billikens converted those offensive boards into 31 second-chance points while holding Fordham to just three second-chance points. SLU outscored Fordham 62-32 in the paint.

Katie Paganelli contributed 12 points and six rebounds, and Hayley Leake tied her career high with five rebounds and did not commit a turnover while playing a career-high 46 minutes. Annie Zopf tallied 20 points and seven assists, and Takita Earl had nine rebounds for Fordham.

The Billikens host A-10 opponent Duquesne on Wednesday. Game time at the Bauman-Eberhardt Center is 7 p.m.