Jan. 12, 2009

Box Score

SHREVEPORT, La. - Sophomore Brittany Carnago turned in the first triple-double in The Summit League since December 2006, scoring 14 points, blocking 11 shots, and pulling down 10 rebounds, senior Jessica Pike scored a game-high 16 points, and senior April Kidd and junior Hanna Reising both scored 10 points as the Oakland University women's basketball team (13-4, 5-1 Summit) rallied from a nine-point deficit in the second half to take a 66-54 win over the Centenary Ladies (3-13, 1-4 Summit) on Monday at the Gold Dome.

"Our team showed great resolve tonight," said head coach Beckie Francis. "It's always hard to win on the road. I give the team credit for keeping composure, and then going on a big run and getting some key stops. It helps to have a player playing well enough defensively to get a triple-double, and of course Kidd and Pike had some big steals. Hanna (Reising) hit some big shots and pulled down seven rebounds, and made some key defensive stops on their best players."

Carnago's triple-double was the first in The Summit League since Dec. 2, 2006, when Valparaiso's Betsy Reitema scored 14 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and dished out 10 assists in Valpo's 83-71 loss to Indiana State. It is the ninth triple-double in the nation this year.

The outcome of the game was up in the air for the great majority of the contest, as after Oakland jumped out to a quick six-point (8-2) lead five minutes in, Centenary rallied to knot the game at 10-10 at the 12:44 mark. The two squads traded leads over the next two minutes before Centenary went on a 6-0 run to take a five-point lead (22-17) with 3:57 remaining in the half, and the Ladies carried a six-point (29-23) lead into the half.

Centenary's Cierra Bush buried a 3-pointer just over 90 seconds into the half to give the Ladies a nine-point (34-25) lead, their largest lead of the night, but the Golden Grizzlies clawed back, pulling to within four points (37-33) after Kidd hit a runner in the lane.

The Ladies' Natasha Draganic hit a layup at the 11:27 mark to give Centenary an eight-point (44-36) lead, but OU responded with 3-pointers on three consecutive possessions to reclaim the lead. Pike and Reising both drilled long-range shots before Pike gave OU the lead (45-44) for the first time since the first half with her 3-pointer.

The three 3-pointers kicked off a 17-0 run for OU, that saw the Golden Grizzlies claim a nine-point (53-44) lead of their own at the 7:30 mark before the Ladies got back on the board. OU extended its lead to 13 (63-50) with 2:21 left and kept the Ladies at arm's length down the stretch to seal the come-from-behind victory.

The Golden Grizzlies held a 39.0 to 35.7 percent shooting advantage from the floor, while forcing 27 turnovers. Centenary held a 40-36 advantage on the rebounding glass, while the Golden Grizzlies combined to block 15 shots.

Centenary's Ashley Jackson turned in a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 13 rebounds, and narrowly missed a triple-double of her own, with seven steals.

The Golden Grizzlies will return to action on Saturday, Jan. 17, as they travel to Fort Wayne, Ind. to do battle with IPFW at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. A 4:30 p.m. tip is scheduled.

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