University of Louisville
EAST CAROLINA
Cardinals Get it Done in Overtime, Defeat ECU 79-75
February 22, 2004 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 22, 2004
Louisville, Ky. - The University of Louisville (18-8, 10-3) women's basketball team extended its win streak to eight as they defeated East Carolina (14-12, 5-8) 79-75 in overtime on Sunday afternoon in Cardinal Arena. The win secured the Cardinals a first round bye in the Conference USA Tournament on March 4-7 in Fort Worth, Texas.
Four Cardinals scored in double figures with freshman Jazz Covington leading the way with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Katie Olson added 14 points, including the final two baskets of the overtime period to lift the Cardinals past the Pirates. Sophomore Jessica Huggins scored a career-high 13 points and Angel Bradley added 10 points. Senior Sara Nord dished out 12 assists and had nine points. Senior Courtney Willis led the Lady Pirates with 25 points and 17 rebounds.
Louisville finished the game shooting 41.2 percent while East Carolina shot 39 percent. The Cardinals outrebounded the Lady Pirates 49-43.
The Lady Pirates led 26-14 with just over eight minutes to play in the first half. Freshman Jenna Lemnus hit a jumper from the elbow to start a 9-0 run for the Cardinals to cut the lead to 26-23 at the 2:38 mark of the first half. ECU's Keisha Anthony hit a jumper to go up 38-23 with just over two minutes remaining. Nina Simotes then nailed a three the next time down the court to get the Cards within two at the 1:22 mark. Huggins then hit 2 of 2 from the line to knot the score at 28. The Lady Pirate's Tamekia Powell missed a jumper at the buzzer.
Louisville started the second half with an 8-3 run. The Lady Pirate's Viola Cooper hit a trey to cut the lead to 36-34 at the 17:32 mark. Bradley hit a jumper and the Cooper nailed another three-pointer to cut the Cardinal lead to 38-37 with just over 16 minutes remaining. Huggins hit a jumper just inside the three-point line and senior Kim Graham converted an old fashioned three point play to put the Cards up 43-37 with just under 15 minutes remaining.
Simotes hit 2 of 2 from the line to give Louisville its biggest lead at 53-45 with just under 10 minutes remaining. But the Lady Pirates fought back. Alisha Bishop hit a three-pointer at the 9:32 mark, sparking a 7-0 run to cut the lead to 55-54 with eight minutes remaining. Nord hit two free throws to give the Cardinals a little room but Cooper hit another three at the 7:24 mark to tie the game at 57.
The game went back and fourth with five more ties and Willis made a layup to put the Lady Pirates up 69-67 with 1:30 left to play. Covington went down the court and connected on a layup to knot the score at 69. Neither team could convert on their last possessions, sending the game into overtime.
Huggins made a layup with 2:21 remaining in overtime for the second tie at 75. The Lady Pirates turned over the ball and Olson made a turnaround jumper to put the Cards up 77-75 with 1:23 remaining in the extra period. Nord grabbed the defensive rebound and Olson nailed another jumper with 11 seconds remaining to secure the win.
The Cardinals will finish out the regular season at Cincinnati on Saturday, Feb. 28 at 6:00 p.m.
