Feb. 2, 2010

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - Temple's LaKeisha Eaddy banked in a 14-foot jumper with 3.9 seconds to go to give the Owls a 58-56 victory over Saint Joseph's women's basketball team Tuesday evening at Michael J. Hagan Arena.

The Hawks (11-11, 4-3 Atlantic 10) held a 56-62 edge with under two minutes to go, but Temple rallied to score the game' final six points. Natasha Wallace's layup at 1:14 made it a two-point game, with Shaqwedia Wallace knotting the game at 56 with a pair of free throws with 39 seconds to go.

With the game tied, Saint Joseph's had a chance to regain the lead, but couldn't capitalize. The Hawks moved the ball around the perimeter and found a wide-open sophomore guard Katie Kuester on the left wing. Kuester's three-point shot was strong and went off the back of the rim and over the backboard, giving Temple the ball with 23 seconds remaining.

The Owls (16-6, %-2 A-10) moved the ball around, running the clock as Eaddy took possession of the ball at the top of the key. Guarded by Saint Joseph's senior guard Amy Gillespie, Eaddy drove left and put up a contested shot that banked off the middle of the backboard and through to give the Owls at 58-56 lead with 3.9 seconds to go.

Following a timeout, Saint Joseph's inbounded the ball, but a desperation shot by senior guard Mariame Djouara was off the mark.

Temple, which swept the season-series with the Hawks by a combined five points, took a 32-25 edge into the second half, after the two teams combined for 25 first-half turnovers.

Down by as many as eight, Saint Joseph's fought back to take its first lead of the game on a Kuester three pointer at 7:46. The three-point field goal capped an 11-3 run that saw SJU go from down 41-36 to up 47-44.

The Owls regained the lead, 50-49, at 4:33, but a three-point play by senior center Ashley Logue and a pair of free throws from senior forward Brittany Ford gave the Hawks a 54-50 edge with 3:12 left in the final stanza. Both teams would exchange baskets leading into the final two minutes.

Individually, sophomore guard Michelle Baker scored seven of her game-high 12 points in the second half, with Djouara and Ford finishing with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Freshman guard Ashley Prim handed out a game-high five assists to go with five points.

As a team, Saint Joseph's shot 36.7 percent for the game (18-of-49), 31.3 percent from behind the arc (5-of-16) and knocked down 15-of-20 free throws. Temple, which out rebounded the Hawks 42-24, shot 39 percent from the field (23-of-59), but went just 9-of-17 from the foul line (52.9 percent).

Marli Bennett paced Temple with 11 points, while Wallace and Thames each finished with 10 points.

Saint Joseph's opens a two-game road swing Saturday at St. Bonaventure. Game time is set for 1 p.m.