Although it's nicknamed the charity stripe, the free-throw line was anything but generous for the AU women's basketball team last night, as they missed 12 shots from the line and only hit 57 percent for the game en route to a 60-58 overtime loss to the U.S. Military Academy Black Knights Wednesday night. The loss drops the Eagles out of first place in the Patriot League with three league games to play.
The main theme of the game was momentum swings, as each team had periods of great offensive play followed by allowing the opposition to mount a comeback.
The Eagles found themselves out ahead early, taking their first lead of the game on a three-pointer by senior guard Pam Stanfield six minutes into the ballgame to go up by the score of 7-6.
This lead would not last long, as Army quickly regained the advantage on a layup by sophomore forward Erin Anthony, two of her game-high 21 points, to put the score at 8-7.
The Black Knights would push the lead up to a game high eleven points with four minutes in the game, at 24-13 following an 8-0 run in which the Eagles were held without a field goal for over five and a half minutes of play.
As bleak as it looked for AU, they would not roll over, going on a 10-2 run of their own to cap off the first half down only three, at 28-25. Stanfield and fellow senior guard Talicia Jackson each scored four points in the final four minutes to help the Eagles.
The second half started out just as strong for the Eagles, going on a 9-2 run over the opening five minutes of the period, initiated by back-to-back buckets by Stanfield, to retake the lead for the first time in the second half, 31-30.
The Eagles continued to build hold onto their lead with twelve minutes remaining, when the offense suddenly disappeared, allowing Army to go on a 15-5 run over a seven-minute stretch, to go up by 52-44. Anthony was the key to this stretch for the Black Knights, scoring 11 of her 21 points, including four consecutive baskets.
Just when the Eagles seemed down and out again, the team rallied once again. Stanfield scored six straight points to bring the Eagles to within two before Jackson hit a jumper with 14 seconds remaining in regulation to tie the game at 54 and send it to overtime.
While Jackson was the hero in regulation, it would be her missed free throws that ultimately did in AU. After Anthony recorded her final two points on the night on free-throws to put the Black Knights up 60-58, Jackson missed two free-throws with 54 seconds remaining, ending AU's chances and sending them to the eventual 60-58 loss.
With the loss, the Eagles fall into second place in the Patriot League at 8-3 in league play, one game behind leader Lehigh University. The Eagles look to get back on the winning track on Saturday when they travel to Worcester, Mass., to take on College of the Holy Cross. The game tips off at 1 p.m.
You can reach this staff writer at jhall@theeagleonline.com.
