The Observer, February 16, 2007
Volume XXXIX, Issue 17
Shooting woes hurt Lady Spartans in Chicago, St. Louis
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On Jan. 12, the Lady Spartans suffered a heart-breaking loss to Washington University, 65-62. Case trailed by only one point with over two minutes remaining in that game, but could not score another basket to take the lead.
Though it was decided by a wider margin, last Sunday's loss to Washington did not feel any better for the Spartans. With a three-pointer at the buzzer by Mary Herendeen just before halftime, Case tied the score at 27 going into the locker room.
It was difficult to determine whether the Spartans were staying with the 17th-ranked Bears because of good defense or terrible shooting by the Bears, but regardless, the Spartans put themselves in position to pull an upset in the second half.
When the Bears took a 45-34 lead with 13 minutes left, it looked like they had the game under control. But Case came back, cutting the lead to three, 57-54, at the 3:39 mark.
Just like the previous game against Washington, though, the Spartans could not muster enough offense down the stretch, and the 17th-ranked Bears pulled away with a 67-56 victory.
An important difference in the game was the disparity in foul shooting between the two teams. Washington had 43 attempts from the line, making 32, while Case only had 11, making seven.
"We made more field goals than they did in the second half, but it just came down to them outscoring us at the foul line," said head coach Jacki Windon. "Part of that is playing on the road, but part of it is also on us to do a better job of putting ourselves in better decision to defend."
In both games against Washington this year, the Spartans had a chance to win late in the second half but could not get a victory. Part of that stems from the edge in experience the Bears have over the Spartans.
Their two leading scorers, Sarah Schell and Rebecca Parker, are both seniors and led Washington with 18 and 17 points, respectively, against Case.
"Their players have been there before," Windon said. "We have been in several close games now. No question, we have to do a better job down the stretch in games, but that comes with experience."
On the previous Friday in Chicago, the Lady Spartans lost by the same margin to the Maroons, 71-60. They kept the deficit close throughout, but the final outcome was never in serious doubt.
Chicago was too powerful underneath the basket, as the Maroons out-rebounded Case, 56-36, and out-scored Case in the paint, 38-16.
"The rebounding difference hurt us tremendously in that game," Windon said. "They've got some great shot-blockers on their team. We did a good job of taking the ball to the basket, but we just didn't shoot the ball well enough."
Things won't get any easier for the Lady Spartans this weekend when they return home to Horsburgh Gym.
Tonight, they play seventh-ranked New York University at 6 p.m. Sunday, they battle 14th-ranked Brandeis at 2 p.m.
The Spartans lost the first meetings with NYU and Brandeis, 88-74 and 85-58, respectively.
