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1/3/2008 - WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
ETSU Rolls Tide in Non-Conference Showdown
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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The East Tennessee State women's basketball team out-scored Alabama 21-8 over the final 10 minutes to secure themselves its first road win of the season, by knocking off the SEC challenger 73-62 Wednesday night from the Coleman Coliseum.
The Lady Buccaneer win snapped a four-game losing streak and ETSU improved to 4-7 overall; while the Crimson Tide saw their three-game win streak end and fall to 6-8.
A total team effort lifted ETSU to its first road victory since defeating North Florida last Feb. 17, as 11 of the 12 Lady Buccaneer players that saw action reached the scoring column. Sophomore Siarre Evans (Griffin, Ga.) has now scored double figures in 10 of the first 11 ETSU contests on the season, finishing with a game-high 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Freshman Tara Davis (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) ended with career bests scoring 12 points and grabbing six rebounds in 23 minutes of work. However, the story of the night came from a pair of Virginia natives in Latisha Belcher (Martinsville) and TaRonda Wiles (Danville). Belcher, who started her first-ever game as a Lady Buccaneer, finished the affair with 11 points, six rebounds, and forced a career-high five steals. Wiles played 30 minutes for ETSU and scored six points, but came away with career-best 10 rebounds.
"I am very proud of how our girls played tonight; especially by keeping their composure when Alabama took the lead and answering with the (10-0) run," said head ETSU women's basketball coach Karen Kemp, who picked up her second win over an SEC program in the last three seasons. "It's great to finally pick up a road win. Hopefully we can keep this momentum going and start a winning streak heading into conference play."
Despite letting Alabama begin the contest scoring the first seven points in the opening three-plus minutes, ETSU would end up controlling the rest of the half thanks to the hot hand of Evans. The sophomore guard scored seven of the first nine Lady Buccaneer points and clipped the Tide advantage to one, 10-9 with 14:27 on the clock. From there, Belcher's lay-in at the 11:28 mark gave ETSU its first lead which they would never relinquish for the half. A pair of free throws from Michele DeVault (Columbus, Ohio) gave the Lady Bucs their largest lead in the stanza at 39-31 with 1:15 left until the break. ETSU had a chance to extend its margin to double digits, but a Belcher turnover gave the Crimson Tide a little momentum heading into the locker room as they scored the last three points to cut the game to five, 39-34.
