LADY PACERS SWARM VALKYRIES ON RECORD-SETTING NIGHT
#24 USC AIKEN BREAKS ASSISTS RECORD IN 98-63 WIN OVER CONVERSE
AIKEN, S.C.-- Meredith Legg scored a career-high 23 points leading five players in double figures as 24th-ranked USC Aiken (6-1) rolled past Converse College (1-9) 98-63 in women’s non-conference basketball action on Friday evening at the Convocation Center. In scoring the most points since posting a school-record 107 on November 17, 2000, the Lady Pacers broke the school mark for assists, dishing out 32 helpers. (PHOTO BY: Scott Webster)
In scoring the first 14 points of the game, the Lady Pacers bolted to a 29-5 lead just over 11 minutes in on Megan Starnes lay-up in the paint. Converse misfired on their first four shots from the field, finally getting on the board at the 13:18 mark on a Sydney Brown three-pointer.
Jerrica Lane and Paige Woodard each drilled triples as part of a 10-2 Converse run to slice the deficit to 31-16, but the Lady Pacers pumped the lead out to 46-19 with 1:06 left in the half on Leppanen’s fast-break bucket. Leppanen scored a season-best 13 points on 5-of-10 from the field.
Woodard was the lone Valkyrie to break double figures, recording 10 points on 2-of-3 from downtown. Lane added nine points while Brown tallied seven.
After trailing 48-23 at the break, Converse used an 8-2 run to open the final stanza, showing some life and pulling within 50-31 on an Ashley Arff three-pointer with 17:05 to play.
Legg, however, quailed the run with a trey of her own just 12 seconds later, one of her career-best seven threes on the night as USCA scored the next 11 points to lead 61-31 on yet another Legg three with 15:02 on the clock.
Converse would never threaten again as the Lady Pacers just missed the century mark for the first time in seven years.
Morgan Johnson connected on 5-of-6 from the field for 13 points and seven rebounds while Starnes added 11 points as did Jordon Thomas. All 13 players that suited up for the Lady Pacers had at least one assist, 11 had multiple assists, and 10 scratched in the scoring column. No starter played more than 19 minutes in the contest.
Shooting 62.1 percent in the second half, USC Aiken finished 37-of-69 from the field for 53.6 percent including 11-of-21 from downtown (52.4 percent).
Converse shot well, connecting on 23-of-44 attempts for 52.3 percent, but committed 32 turnovers compared to 17 for the Lady Pacers, resulting in 25 more shot attempts for USCA and a 39-16 spread in points off miscues.
USC Aiken will break for final exams before taking the court for the last time in 2007 at Montevallo on Saturday, December 15 at 1:00 PM. Converse travels to Hartsville, S.C. on Friday, December 14 for a showdown with Francis Marion in the Coker Tournament at 2:00 PM.
Newspaper Box Score
Converse vs USC Aiken
12/07/07 7:00 PM at Aiken, S.C. (Convocation Center)
USC AIKEN 98, CONVERSE 63
CONVERSE (1-9)
Woodard, Paige 3-5 2-2 10; Lane, Jerrica 3-3 0-0 9; Walker, Shai 4-6 0-1 8; Bothof, Kendra 4-5 0-3 8; Brown, Sydney 2-6 2-2 7; Williams, Brandy 2-6 2-2 7; Sacharski, Morgan 3-3 1-3 7; Arff, Ashley 1-6 0-2 3; Haloulos, Lauren 1-1 1-2 3; Hill, Kariann 0-1 1-2 1; Hendley, Myra 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 23-44 9-19 63.
USC AIKEN (6-1)
Legg, Meredith 8-16 0-0 23; Leppanen, Satu 5-10 2-3 13; Johnson, Morgan 5-6 3-8 13; Thomas, Jordon 5-6 1-3 11; Starnes, Megan 5-11 1-1 11; Pinkney, Nakia 4-7 0-0 8; Meyer, Sarah 2-4 2-2 7; Norman, Marissa 1-1 4-5 6; Harris, Triahna 1-1 0-0 3; Crapps, Cameron 1-5 0-0 3; Disney, Megan 0-0 0-0 0; Broadwater, LaToshia 0-1 0-0 0; Williams, Avonte 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 37-69 13-22 98.
Converse...................... 23 40 - 63
USC Aiken.................... 48 50 - 98
3-point goals--Converse 8-14 (Lane, Jerrica 3-3; Woodard, Paige 2-3; Arff, Ashley 1-3; Williams, Brandy 1-4; Brown, Sydney 1-1), USC Aiken 11-21 (Legg, Meredith 7-11; Crapps, Cameron 1-4; Leppanen, Satu 1-1; Harris, Triahna 1-1; Meyer, Sarah 1-2; Williams, Avonte 0-1; Starnes, Megan 0-1). Fouled out--Converse-None, USC Aiken-None. Rebounds--Converse 26 (Williams, Brandy 6; Sacharski, Morgan 6), USC Aiken 41 (Williams, Avonte 7; Johnson, Morgan 7). Assists--Converse 14 (Brown, Sydney 3; Woodard, Paige 3), USC Aiken 32 (Harris, Triahna 5). Total fouls--Converse 19, USC Aiken 21. Technical fouls--Converse-None, USC Aiken-None. A-307.