Luck wasn’t with the IUS women’s basketball team Friday, Nov. 13, as they lost, 70-64, to the University of Virginia’s College at Wise in the first round of the Grenadier Invitational Tournament.
“It was a tough loss,” Whitney Duncan, junior guard, said.
This was the first home game for the Grenadiers after winning their first two games on the road during the St. Francis Tournament in Fort Wayne, Ind.
With the loss the Grenadiers fell to 2-2 overall, while the Lady Cavs moved their record to 3-0.
The first half was hotly contested, as Virginia-Wise took a three-point lead into the intermission, leading by a score of 32-29.
Morgan Hunsaker, junior guard, fell in the first half and injured her right ankle. Hunsaker was out for the remainder of the game.
Megan Murphy, sophomore forward, was also unable to play after suffering an injury during a previous game.
The Grenadiers made a comeback in the second half, taking the lead with seven minutes left in the game, but then lost its grip on the Lady Cavs at the end.
“We gave up a couple offensive rebounds and made a couple of turnovers at the critical time of the game,” Robin Farris, head coach of the Grenadiers, said. “We had the lead and didn’t have the chance to expand on the lead.”
The Grenadiers shot 39 percent from the field, and 23 percent from the 3-point arc.
Leading scorers for the Grenadiers were Kortney Woods, freshman center, scoring 14 points, and Duncan with 13 points.
Woods also led the team with eight rebounds and blocked three shots.
Farris attributed the Grenadiers’ loss to the Lady Cavs getting 15 offensive rebounds and shooting at 46 percent from the field.
“Our goal is to hold the opponent to less than 10 offensive rebounds and keep their shooting percentage to under 40 percent,” Farris said. “They got too many easy shots.”
The Lady Cavs shot 46 percent from the field and 50 percent from behind the 3-point arc.
They also had 25 defensive rebounds and 15 offensive rebounds.
The Lady Cavs were led by Amber Carter, sophomore guard, and Kristin Mullins, sophomore guard, scoring 16 points each.
Carter also led the game with seven assists and four steals, and Mullins had the only block for the Cougars.
Although Virginia-Wise gained a victory against the Grenadiers, Jason Montgomery, head coach for the Lady Cavs, said his team didn’t execute well.
“We’re averaging about 85 points per game,” Montgomery said. “Any time you can not play well and win, is a good win.”
The Grenadiers lost to the Lady Cavs in the first night of the 2009 Grenadier Invitational Tournament.
This was the second game at the two-day tournament hosted by the IU Southeast in the Activities Building.
The University of Northwestern Ohio defeated Grace College, 50-53, before the Grenadiers’ loss to the Lady Cavs.
The Grenadiers defeated Grace College, 74-63, Saturday, Nov. 14, in the consolation game of the Grenadier Invitational Tournament.
The University of Northwestern Ohio defeated the Lady Cavs on day two, 81-78, to win the tournament.
By LEAH TATE
Staff Writer
lmtate@ius.edu