Box Score
St. Mary's, MD --- The Roanoke College Women's Basketball team started off their season on a good note, downing tournament-host St. Mary's, 59-54 in the Cherry Cove/Seahawk Tip-Off Tournament Friday evening. The Maroons are 1-0 while the Seahawks dropped to 0-2 on the young season. It was the first meeting between the two programs.
The Maroons had to overcome a four-point first-half deficit and were down for a majority of the contest. The women had to rally late with a nine-point setback in the final seven minutes to escape from ARC Arena with the five-point victory.
St. Mary's overcame an early 6-0 setback to post a 30-26 halftime lead behind eight points from Sham as she was 3-of-5 from the floor, including 2-of-3 from downtown. Stephanie Saint-Aubin and Jasmine Jones each pulled down five first-half boards for the Seahawks. Rebecca Bays (Roanoke, VA, William Byrd), pictured above, had six points while Nicci Moats (Blue Ridge, VA, Lord Botetourt)grabbed five boards to pace the Maroons in the first half.
The Seahawks stretched their lead to nine with 6:57 left in the game on a three-point shot by junior guard Jamie Roberts as the home team used a 12-3 run to break a 34-34 tie. Roanoke began chipping away at the deficit 16 seconds later as senior guard Jaleesa Osborne (Ordinary, VA, Gloucester), pictured right, sparked a 10-0 run with her first long-range shot of the night, giving the Maroons a 47-46 lead at 4:04.
Roanoke seemed to have the game in hand with a five-point lead and 47-seconds remaining; however, SMC's Pui Sham cut the lead to two 11-seconds later but Osborne sealed the win for the Maroons with a 4-of-4 effort from the free throw line.
Roanoke, which has won its third-straight season-opener, shot nearly 36% from the floor, including 71% from the free throw line (12-of-17). The Maroons out-rebounded the Seahawks, 41-36.
Senior point guard Osborne led the Maroons, pouring in a game-high 17 points in addition to four rebounds and three assists. She was also 6-for-6 from the charity stripe to lead the squad. Bays tossed in 10 points while senior Caitlyn Long (Roanoke, VA, Cave Spring)dished out a game-high four assists, along with eight points and four rebounds.
Moats narrowly missed a double-double in her first collegiate game in three years. She finished with nine points and pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds in 23 minutes of action, including six on the offensive end. She also had two blocked shots in the win.
Jordan Gholson (Louisa, VA, Louisa County)had eight points and five rebounds, including a block and two steals to lead Roanoke. Kylie Lucas (Verona, VA, Fort Defiance)chipped in seven points in 18 minutes of action.
The Seahawks were led by Pui Sham with 13 points and four rebounds. Steph Saint-Aubin nearly had a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds while Jamie Roberts tossed in 10 points.
The women will take on Widener in the tournament tomorrow, Nov. 21 at 3 p.m. The Maroons are 0-2 against The Pride, including a 67-47 loss during the 2003-04 season.
