SectionsShocked: Lady Bears fall during overtime
Tyler Thompson
Issue date: 1/26/10 Section: Sports
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"I know this group and I think that we'll respond well," sophomore Lacey Boshe said.
Despite the loss, the team had a good day defensively in the paint and hit seven key 3-pointers, but not finishing overall led to the loss.
"(Wichita State) shot the ball real well today," sophomore Casey Garrison said. "That's why you go back and buckle down on defense, so they don't get the looks."
The Lady Bears' shot an impressive 71 percent from the perimeter in the first half, but the shots weren't falling their way in the second half.
"I don't think (Wichita State) did anything different defensively in the second half," head coach Nyla Milleson said. "(The shots) just weren't falling late in the game."
Jaleshia Roberson had another big game leading the team with 23 points, including 15 points from beyond the arc.
"My coaches and teammates have faith in me and tell me to keep shooting it," Roberson said.
Garrison finished the day with 21 points and eight assists, and freshman Christiana Shorter had another big day on the boards with a career-best 16 rebounds to go along with six points.
"I thought Chris (Shorter) was just great on the boards," Milleson said. "She just needs another summer of gaining strength."
Boshe added another positive performance as well, recording 13 points and five rebounds.
"I was very pleased with our effort today," Milleson said. "We just simply ran out of gas."
The Lady Bears' would battle back eight times in the game, but couldn't overcome the sluggish start to overtime.
"I think that you have to remember this game," Milleson said. "We battled and played hard the entire game."
The team outshot the Shockers in the paint 44-38 and had five more second-chance points, but not finishing the close shots is what Milleson reiterates to her team.
"We have to make the two-footers," she said. "The first overtime possession we had four or five looks. We have to be able to finish."
A bright spot for the team, however, was the consistency of points from the line. The team shot 73 percent from the charity stripe.
Again, the post play by Boshe and Shorter saw plenty of intense action in the paint.
"They are very physical on defense, which is probably what led to us not finishing, even though that's not an excuse," Boshe said.
With the loss, the team went 1-2 on the homestand and is currently 4-3 in the MVC.
The Lady Bears will take to the road this week to battle Southern Illinois on Thursday and then travel to Evansville on Sunday.
They will return to the "Q" at 7:35 p.m. on Feb. 5 to battle Creighton.
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