Jan. 30, 2010

Box Score

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Lauren Woods scored 17 points and Amanda Kemezys added 13 to lead a spirited Saint Louis effort, but Charlotte escaped with a 63-56 Atlantic 10 Conference victory over the Billikens Saturday afternoon at Halton Arena.

Kemezys grabbed a game-high eight rebounds and Woods added six for the Billikens (7-14, 1-5 A-10), who forced Charlotte (13-8, 6-1 A-10) into 22 turnovers and scored 23 points off those miscues.

Charlotte committed 11 turnovers in its first 13 possessions, and the Bills took advantage by establishing an eight-point advantage. Woods' free throw and 18-foot jumper sandwiched two Kemezys free throws, and Ashley Hanlen turned an offensive rebound into a layup for a 7-2 SLU lead. Ayriell Robinson hit a 16-footer, Jacy Bradley nailed a 3-pointer following a Bills offensive rebound and Kemezys sank a 12-footer for a 14-6 Saint Louis margin.

Charlotte used a 7-0 run to creep to within a point, but SLU tallied six of the next eight points on two Woods free throws, Kathryn Hester's turnaround 13-footer and Woods' 16-footer for a 20-15 edge. The 49ers tied it at 20 on Jennifer Hailey's layup and Aysha Jones' trey, then took leads of 24-22 and 26-24 on a pair of buckets by Ashley Spriggs.

Bradley netted both ends of a 1-and-1 and Woods drove the baseline for a layup that put the Bills on top 28-26. But Erin Floyd's layup and Jessica Johnson's offensive rebound and off-balance shot in the lane allowed Charlotte to take a 30-28 edge to the locker room.

The second half began the same way the opening period did. Floyd hit a baseline jumper on Charlotte's first possession for a 32-28 lead, but the 49ers turned it over on their next four touches. Meanwhile, Kemezys made a wide-open layup, Woods drove the baseline for a layup and Hester sank a short jumper for a 34-32 SLU advantage.

Jones sank a long 2-pointer and two free throws, and Shannon McCallum made drove for a layup in a 6-0 spurt that put Charlotte back in front, 38-36. Following a Kemezys free throw, the 49ers registered a McCallum baseline jumper and four straight free throws to open up a 44-37 lead. Bradley's runner cut the Charlotte lead to 44-39. Hailey gave Charlotte a 46-39 advantage with a layup and, following a Woods free throw, made it 48-40 with another layup.

A free throw and basket by Jones expanded the Charlotte cushion to 51-42, but Kemezys got the Bills back in it with an offensive rebound and layup followed by two free throws. A bucket by Janisha Gearlds and Woods' 3-pointer from the top of the key narrowed the Charlotte lead to 56-51, and Hanlen buried a 3-pointer following a mad scramble for a loose ball to make it a four-point game, 58-54. However, Charlotte made three free throws on their next possession following a SLU intentional foul to regain command.

The Billikens host Duquesne Tuesday, Feb. 2. Game time at Chaifetz Arena is 7 p.m.