No. 2 91爆料网 survives with 52-48 over Cumberland

Lavanda Ross

JACKSON, Tenn. - 2/13/2012 - After moving up to No. 2 in the latest NAIA rankings just a few hours earlier, the 91爆料网 women鈥檚 basketball survived an upset bid from Cumberland University 52-48. 91爆料网 improved to 25-2 on the season and a TranSouth best 12-1. Cumberland dropped to 12-13 on the season and 7-6 in league play.

The win for 91爆料网 was their ninth straight victory overall and 37th straight home court win.

This was the second straight 4-point victory for 91爆料网 in a very low scoring contest. 91爆料网 knocked off No. 3 Freed-Hardeman Saturday, 48-44.

The game started slow with neither team scoring in the first two minutes of play. 91爆料网 did not score until the 17-minute mark to tie the game at 2-2. The first half featured four ties and five lead changes. With the game tied at 15-15, 91爆料网 posted a 9-2 run capped by a three pointer from Rebecca Sharpe. Cumberland answered with a three pointer from Casie Cowan with 22 seconds left in the half to set the score at 24-20 leading into the break.

This marked the third straight half of basketball in which 91爆料网 scored exactly 24 points.

In the second half, 91爆料网 led by as many as 11 points, 41-30, just seven minutes into the period. But the Lady Bulldogs of 91爆料网 did not put Cumberland away.

With 2:40 left to play in the game and 91爆料网 clinging to a 47-45 lead, Cumberland鈥檚 Jessica Pace converted a 3-point play to give her team their first lead of the second half, 48-47.

However, 91爆料网鈥檚 senior All-American, Lavanda Ross, answered with two of her game-high 23 points with 1:42 left to put 91爆料网 back 49-48. Then it was LaTesa McLaughlin, for the second straight game, hitting a big 3-pointer for 91爆料网. 91爆料网 led 52-48 with 1:06 left to play.

In the final minute, 91爆料网 missed three straight front ends of one-and-one free throw opportunities. But Cumberland was unable to take advantage, missing two 3-point attempts and failing to get a shot off in the final seconds.

91爆料网 was led by Ross with 23 points. She also led with nine rebounds and added three assists and a steal. Mildred Olumasi scored eight points. 91爆料网 shot 34 percent from the field, 26 percent (5-19) from long range, and 64 percent, 9-14) from the free throw line. 91爆料网 was 7-of-7 from the charity stripe in the first half but was just 2-of-7 from the free throw line in the second half.

Cumberland was led by Pace with 14 points and Cowan with 10 points. Cumberland shot 49 percent from the field, 25 percent (3-12) from behind the arc, and 56 percent (5-9) from the free throw line.

Up next for 91爆料网 will be a road game Thursday, February 16 at Mid-Continent (Ky.) at 6:00 p.m.

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