Jan. 4, 2009

Box Score

ST. LOUIS - Theresa Lisch and Amanda Kemezys combined for 49 points, and Saint Louis survived a late Ball State surge to register a 79-69 non-conference victory over the Cardinals Sunday afternoon at Chaifetz Arena.

Lisch scored a game-high 27 points, giving her eight performances of 20 or more points this season. The Atlantic 10 Conference scoring leader (19.1 ppg) was 9-of-15 from the floor, including a 3-pointer, and 8-of-8 from the foul line. Lisch has made 49 of her last 50 free throws, raising her season success rate to 87.5 percent.

Kemezys grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds, including seven of SLU's 17 offensive boards, to help boost the Billikens (5-9) to a season-best 48-28 advantage on the glass. She equaled her career best of 22 points on the strength of a 9-of-15 shooting performance.

Heather King tallied a double-digit scoring total for the fourth time in five games with 11 points (5-of-8 shooting) and added nine rebounds, including five offensive caroms. Lauren Woods collected nine points and eight rebounds, and Alisha Goodwin distributed a career-high five assists while committing no turnovers. Lisch and Kaelin Reid gathered five rebounds apiece.

Kemezys and Lisch scored four points apiece in SLU's 8-0 run to open the game. Ball State (7-6) chipped away and cut the Billiken lead to four points on four occasions, the last being a 20-16 Saint Louis margin at the 9:40 mark.

SLU registered the next seven points on a King jumper, a Kemezys free throw and baskets by Woods and Kemezys on four consecutive possessions to take its first double-digit lead, 27-16, with 7:48 to play. Lisch later hit a jumper to trigger a 9-0 spurt - which continued with a Goodwin bucket, a Lisch trey and a King jumper, all following steals - to boost Saint Louis to its largest cushion, 40-22, with 1:17 remaining. SLU settled for a 40-26 advantage at the break.

Ball State whittled the Billiken lead to nine points on several occasions in the second half but couldn't draw any closer until late. Amber Clark scored six of her eight second-half points in an 8-0 run that shrank SLU's edge to 64-60 with 5:08 to play.

But the Saint Louis defense tightened, allowing the Bills to regain command. Following a Reid free throw, the Billikens stopped the Cardinals on three consecutive possessions. Woods then sank two free throws, and Kemezys and Lisch added baskets following two more defensive stands to hand SLU a 71-60 cushion at the 2:00 mark. The Billikens made 6-of-8 free throws in the waning moments to seal the victory.

Saint Louis shot 46.6 percent (27-of-58) from the field and 72.7 percent (24-of-33) from the free-throw line. The Billikens have made at least 22 free throws and attempted at least 27 charity tosses in their last four contests. SLU's 79 points were the Bills' second-highest total of the season.

Porchia Green led Ball State with 16 points and tied Danielle Gratton for team-high rebounding honors with seven boards. Gratton and Kiley Jarrett scored 11 points apiece, and Jarrett distributed a game-high six assists. Emily Maggert added 10 points.

The Billikens conclude the non-conference portion of their schedule Tuesday at Hampton. Game time is 6 p.m. (CT).