Texas A&M
5-2
Detroit
2-8
Aggies Beat Detroit in Vegas
Dec 17, 2005 | Women's Basketball
Morenike Atunrase scored 18 points to lead Texas A&M over Detroit, 72-54, in first round action at the Duel in the Desert at Cox Pavilion on the UNLV campus.
The Aggies improved to 5-2 while Detroit falls to 2-8. A&M will face host UNLV in the finals on Sunday at 9:30 p.m (central).
?I thought we did a good job of forcing turnovers,? A&M coach Gary Blair said. ?Our press was effective. It wasn?™t beautiful, but we got after it to make up. I thought we got the ball inside in the second half, but we did not finish.?
A&M freshman Danielle Gant scored 10 second half points and grabbed six rebounds to go with two blocks, two steals, and two assists.
?Danielle Gant came out and had another hell of a game,? Blair said.
Erica Roy led the Aggies on defense with five rebounds and three assists.
A&M held an early 8-2 lead before Detroit rallied to tie the game at 8-8. Detroit continued to control the game early with shooting above 50 percent as they put together a 14-4 run enroute to a 16-12 lead with 12:23.
Late in the first half, the Aggies found their shooting touch and put together a 13-4 run to close the frame as freshmen Lenka Zimova and Takia Starks each scored four points.
A&M led 34-28 at break.
Atunrase scored 11 points and dished out three assists in the first half.
A 13-4 run by the Aggies to start the second half, set the tone for the remainder of the game as A&M extended its lead to 45-32.
The Aggies?™ largest lead was 67-47 with 4:30 to play. They matched that lead again in the final seconds.
?We had the intensity the whole second half,? Blair said.
Starks and Tamea Scales each added 10 points for the Aggies.
Detroit was led by Katie Solner?™s 14 points.
Detroit outrebounded the Aggies 42-32.
?If we rebound tomorrow like we did tonight, we?™ll get beat,? Blair said. ?We were outrebounded by 10.?
NOTES?-Erica Roy was selected as the State Farm Player of the Game.
