2008 Woodie Awards
Women's basketball stumbles in season opener against Gannon
By Randy Klins
Rocket Staff Writer
Issue date: 11/18/05 Section: Sports
The Slippery Rock University women's basketball team learned a couple important things Tuesday night.
First, don't turn the ball over against a good team. Next, it takes 40 minutes of continuous effort to win the game.
SRU committed only six turnovers in the first half, but then doubled that amount in the second half. Coming into the second half with a tie score, the Rock couldn't pull away as nationally-ranked Gannon defeated SRU, 80-70 on Tuesday night at the Hammermill Center in Erie.
After a 36-36 halftime score, Gannon's Ashley Lowdermilk opened up the second half with a three-pointer and the Golden Knights took advantage of several key turnovers to charge a 19-8 run capped off by a Carrie Nolan three-point basket. The Rock never led in the game.
Rock coach Laurel Heilman said the first five minutes of the second half was the turning point of the game.
"After halftime it's 0-0," Heilman said. "You've got to come out with the same intensity. We had 12 turnovers in the second half and they all came in bunches."
After the run, the Rock pulled within seven points after a three-pointer by point guard Amber McFeely with 7:13 left in the game. The team didn't pull any closer.
"We couldn't turn that corner and get within five," Heilman said. "It was a winnable game. We just didn't take advantage of the opportunities in the second half."
Gannon, who was ranked 24th in the Division II Bulletin preseason national poll entering the game, shot 61 percent (14 of 23) from the field in the second half while the Rock shot 40 percent (12 of 30) in the second half after a first half in which it shot 54 percent (14 of 26).
SRU shot 6 of 10 from behind the arc in the first half, but cooled off as it only converted on two three pointers the rest of the game. The Golden Knights were 10 of 20 from behind the three-point line.
Heilman said the team had a tough time staying with Gannon's scorers.
"In the second half we had too many breakdowns," Heilman said. "We knew who the shooters were so we had to close out. And we were late."
First, don't turn the ball over against a good team. Next, it takes 40 minutes of continuous effort to win the game.
SRU committed only six turnovers in the first half, but then doubled that amount in the second half. Coming into the second half with a tie score, the Rock couldn't pull away as nationally-ranked Gannon defeated SRU, 80-70 on Tuesday night at the Hammermill Center in Erie.
After a 36-36 halftime score, Gannon's Ashley Lowdermilk opened up the second half with a three-pointer and the Golden Knights took advantage of several key turnovers to charge a 19-8 run capped off by a Carrie Nolan three-point basket. The Rock never led in the game.
Rock coach Laurel Heilman said the first five minutes of the second half was the turning point of the game.
"After halftime it's 0-0," Heilman said. "You've got to come out with the same intensity. We had 12 turnovers in the second half and they all came in bunches."
After the run, the Rock pulled within seven points after a three-pointer by point guard Amber McFeely with 7:13 left in the game. The team didn't pull any closer.
"We couldn't turn that corner and get within five," Heilman said. "It was a winnable game. We just didn't take advantage of the opportunities in the second half."
Gannon, who was ranked 24th in the Division II Bulletin preseason national poll entering the game, shot 61 percent (14 of 23) from the field in the second half while the Rock shot 40 percent (12 of 30) in the second half after a first half in which it shot 54 percent (14 of 26).
SRU shot 6 of 10 from behind the arc in the first half, but cooled off as it only converted on two three pointers the rest of the game. The Golden Knights were 10 of 20 from behind the three-point line.
Heilman said the team had a tough time staying with Gannon's scorers.
"In the second half we had too many breakdowns," Heilman said. "We knew who the shooters were so we had to close out. And we were late."
