SALEM, VA--The Roanoke College women's basketball team secured its first Old Dominion Athletic Conference victory of the 2004-05 season with a 72-57 win over Hollins University on Tuesday afternoon in Salem, VA. The Maroons improve to 5-4 on the season and 1-4 in the ODAC, while Hollins falls to 4-3 overall and 2-3 in league play.
The Maroons opened up a 12-point lead just eight minutes into the game thanks in large part to their accurate shooting from the field. The Maroons made nine of their first 13 field goal attempts, allowing them to grab a 22-10 lead with 12:07 left on the first half clock. Roanoke freshman
Erin Hanson (Blacksburg, VA/Blacksburg) scored six points in the first eight minutes, including the first four of the game. Sophomore
Brittany Johnson (Simsbury, CT/West Simsbury) added four.
After their strong start, the Maroons missed their next nine shots, allowing Hollins to trim the lead to just six points, 23-17, with 8:42 left. The Maroons would get back on track, however, scoring 14 points in the final seven minutes, including the last seven of the half to take a 38-20 lead at the break.
In the early portion of the second, the Maroons extended their lead to as many as 25 points, thanks again in part to Hanson, who scored six of the team's first 12 points of the frame. Hollins, which shot just 28 percent from the field in the first half, used an 11-0 run midway through the second half to cut Roanoke's lead to just 14 points, 52-38, that with 12:04 left. The Maroons, however, did not let the visitors get any closer than 12 points the rest of the way.
Hanson finished the game with a career-high 21 points, bettering her 20-point effort against Averett University in the final game of December. The freshman made two three-pointers and added six rebounds, three blocks, and two assists.
Cindy McGraw (Lynchburg, VA/EC Glass) finished the day with 12 points and also had two threes. Johnson completed the game with a season-best eight points, tying her best effort which came in the season-opener.
Kayce Smith (Chattanooga, TN/The Baylor School) came off the bench to give the Maroons five assists and seven rebounds.
Hollins was led in the scoring column by freshman Nicole Grant who scored 14 of her 20 points in the second half. She also had seven rebounds in the second half. Brandi Cochran had just one point less than Grant, getting 11 of her 19 in the second half as well.
The Maroons return to action on Thursday evening in a home ODAC game against the Wasps of Emory & Henry College. The Maroons and the Wasps will get their contest underway at 7:00pm in the C. Homer Bast Center in Salem, VA.
Roanoke vs. Hollins Box Score
