SEC Women's Basketball Roundup - 12/8

Sunday, December 8, 2002
 
No. 14 Georgia 99, Oakland 56

ATHENS, Ga. -- The 14th-ranked Georgia women's basketball team got a double-double from Kara Braxton as the Lady Bulldogs topped Oakland 99-56 on Sunday at Stegeman Coliseum.

Braxton poured in 20 points and pulled down 13 rebounds as Georgia improved to 4-2 on the season. Braxton also had a career-high six blocked shots.

Christi Thomas paced the Lady Bulldogs with 26 points, connecting on 12 of her 16 shots from the floor. Sherill Baker added a career-high 19 points.

The Lady Bulldogs protected the ball well on Sunday, turning it over just eight times. Georgia also dished out 24 assists, seven by Baker and six by Alexis Kendrick (who scored eight points).

"I'm pleased with our assists number," said Georgia coach Andy Landers, who got the 650th win of his career. "It means that we have an unselfish basketball team that likes to pass and share the ball. The assists number is one as a coach you like to see."

Katie Wolfe was the only player for Oakland (2-3) to reach double figures as she scored 24. The Golden Grizzlies of Michigan were outrebounded by Georgia 45-30.

"You don't see size like Georgia's every day," Oakland coach Eileen Shea-Hilliard said. "I give Georgia a lot of credit for the way they played."

The Lady Bulldogs will return to action on Saturday against Tennessee Tech.


Ole Miss 61, Lipscomb 52 (OT)

OXFORD, Miss.-- Ole Miss scored the first seven points in overtime to outscore visiting Lipscomb 11-2 in the extra session and post a 61-52 win Sunday afternoon at the Tad Smith Coliseum.

Ole Miss (5-0) led 36-21 with 16:36 to go in the game before the Lady Bison (1-4) went on a 27-6 run over the next 12 minutes to take a 48-42 led with 4:13 to go. Katie Beth Pate’s lay-up tied the game at 42 and Courtney Ramsey’s trey gave Lipscomb its first lead of the day at 45-42 with 5:04 left. Renee Logan followed with another three-pointer to make it 48-42.

Ole Miss would use an 8-2 spurt, capped by junior guard Genice Terry’s jumper with 32 seconds remaining to tie the game at 50 and force overtime.

Sophomore center Amber Watts scored five of her eight points in the overtime. Freshman Marie Deparrois scored Ole Miss’ first bucket of overtime with a jumper and Watts followed with a lay-up to make it 54-50. After Leah Henley made 1-of-2 free throws, Watts again scored on a lay-up to push the Lady Rebels’ lead to 57-50 with 1:38 remaining.

"We were very fortunate to escape this game with a victory," said Ole Miss head coach Ron Aldy. "They outplayed us for the majority of the game, but we managed to step up and increase our intensity when it mattered the most."

Angie Ester scored Lipscomb’s only points of the overtime on a lay-up to make it 57-52, but Tia Watson would answer with her only points of the game, a three-pointer with 58 seconds remaining to make it 60-52.

Henley led the Lady Rebels with 17 points and also grabbed seven rebounds. She scored 12 of her 17 points in the first half to help Ole Miss to a 29-21 halftime lead.

"Leah really displayed how much of a leader she is for this team," said Aldy. "Not only did she lead us in the stats, but she was the vocal support the other girls rallied around."

Sophomore guard Carletta Brown added 14 points.

Lipscomb was led by Kari Campbell and Ester with 12 and 10 points, respectively.

The Lady Rebels will return to action next Saturday when they host Birmingham Southern at 5:00 p.m.