Jacksonville, FL---The SC State women's basketball team displayed tenacity but came up just short as they fell the University of North Florida (UNF), 55-59, on the first day of the 2009 Hampton Inn and Suites Osprey Holiday Classic. The Classic, which concludes tomorrow, is being contested at the UNF Arena.
Both teams started the game a little sluggish scoring only four points apiece over seven minutes into the game. UNF (2-7) went on a 6-1 run over the next four minutes to jump ahead of the SC State, 10-5. The Lady Bulldogs then put their offense into motion going on a 6-0 run of its own over the next four minutes to take an 11-10 lead. SC State (4-5) maintained the lead until the 53 second mark when a jumper by the Ospreys' Rachelle Rasley tied the game at 21. The teams would exchange the lead once more with UNF enjoying a one point lead, 23-24, heading into the half.
The teams continued exchanging the lead for the first four minutes of the second half. UNF jumped ahead by four, 33-29, at the 15:27 mark and remained ahead over the next three-plus minutes. SC State put together yet another run to pull even at 35 with 12 minutes remaining. The lead would go back and forth between the teams over the next six minutes before the Ospreys' took a 41-40 lead at the 5:24 mark and never relinquished it. UNF increased its lead to seven, 54-57 with just over 30 second remaining and would eventually go on to win by four, 55-59.
Freshman Paris Alston led the way for SC State as she recorded her second double-double of the season, 18 points-10 rebounds. Senior Sophilia Hipps was the only other Lady Bulldog to score in double-figures with 11 (6-of-6 from the free-throw line). Sophomore Whitney Wiley, who saw action for the first time this season, scored eight points with four rebounds in her collegiate debut.
Brittany Kirkland scored a game-high 24 points (13-of-13 from free-throw line) to lead UNF. Jadhken Kerr scored 11 points and pulled in nine rebounds for the Ospreys' in the victory.
SC State will play Jacksonville State at 3 p.m. Friday on day two of the Hampton Inn and Suites Osprey Holiday Classic. The Lady Bulldogs will close out the 2009 calendar year on December 30, when they travel to Durham, NC to take on the Lady Eagles of North Carolina Central University.
