Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
Texas A&M - Corpus Christi
Host Islanders Down Falcons, 68-59, To Win Tourney Title
November 29, 2003 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 29, 2003
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - Bowling Green State University women's basketball senior Stefanie Wenzel scored a game-high 27 points, but it was not enough as the Falcons fell to host Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 68-59, Saturday night (Nov. 29). The game, the championship contest of the Flint Hills Resources Islander Classic, was held at Memorial Coliseum.
With the loss, the Falcons drop to 2-2 on the young season, and BGSU finishes 1-1 in the weekend tournament. The host Islanders improve to 4-1 on the season.
Wenzel and freshman teammate Ali Mann each were named to the all-tournament team. Mann was the Falcons' second-leading scorer in Saturday's contest, with nine points, and she added a team-high eight rebounds.
The Islanders erased an eight-point BGSU halftime lead, outscoring the Falcons by a 42-25 margin in the final 20 minutes. Kirbria Lewis led the host school with 21 points, while Anna Hartzell came off the bench to score 14 points.
Lewis earned tournament Most Valuable Player honors, while teammate Roberta Plaza joined her on the all-tournament team.
The first half featured eight lead changes, with neither team leading by more than three points over the first eight-plus minutes. With the Falcons trailing by a 10-9 score, Wenzel scored on a jumper at the 13:44 mark, then converted a three-point play two minutes later. A hoop by freshman Megan Thorburn midway through the half put the Brown and Orange up, 16-10.
The Falcons led by seven points, 21-14, after junior Kelly Kapferer scored, drew a foul, and made the ensuing free throw. With 4:20 left in the half, a three-point field goal by sophomore Casey McDowell opened the lead to nine points, at 29-20. The Islanders got within five points on a Hartzell triple, but a Wenzel trey gave BG a 34-26 margin at the break.
In that first half, the Falcons shot an even 50 percent from the field, while limiting the hosts to a success rate of just .289.
In the second 20 minutes, however, it was the Islanders turning up the defense, as they held the Falcons to a .267 field-goal pct. while shooting .429 themselves.
The Islanders opened the second half on a 13-2 run, fueled by a pair of Lewis three-pointers, to take a 39-36 lead. Midway through the half, Mann hit a triple to give the Brown and Orange the lead, and freshman Amber Flynn followed with a pair of free throws at the 8:53 mark to give BG a 47-44 advantage.
The Falcons held a slim lead over the next few minutes, and went ahead by a 56-52 count on a Wenzel triple with 4:46 remaining. But, the Islanders responded with an 11-0 run. Lewis began the outburst with a three-pointer, and -- after a Laura Jones layup -- Lewis hit another long-range shot at the 3:05 mark. When Hartzell hit a triple with 2:40 left, the Islanders led by seven, and the Falcons could not rally.
For the game, the Falcons shot .379 from the floor to the Islanders' .356. TAMU-CC, however, held a 50-36 rebounding edge, including a total of 23 offensive boards. The hosts went 9-for-28 from three-point range, as Hartzell was 4-of-5 and Lewis also made four triples (in 10 attempts).
Wenzel made 10 of the Falcons' 22 field goals on the night, including four three-pointers, as the Falcons went 7-for-21 from long distance. BGSU was perfect from the free-throw line in eight tries, as Flynn made four charity tosses and Wenzel three.
Freshman Liz Honegger had seven points and a game-best three blocked shots, while Thorburn scored six points. For the hosts, Terra Andrews had 10 points and nine rebounds, while Jackie Ododa had nine points and 10 boards.
Southeast Missouri State won the consolation game of the tournament, 85-38, over Prairie View A&M.
The Falcons return to action on Wednesday night (Dec. 3), with a game at Bucknell. BGSU's next home action will be on Saturday, Dec. 6, against IPFW. That game, the second half of a home doubleheader, is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m. at Anderson Arena.
Flint Hills Resources All-Tournament Team
Kirbria Lewis (TAMU-CC) - MVP Sarah Costello (SEMO) Ali Mann (BGSU) Roberta Plaza (TAMU-CC) Stefanie Wenzel (BGSU) Kenja White (SEMO)
Tournament Results
Friday, Nov. 28 Bowling Green 70, SE Missouri State 60 TAMU-Corpus Christi 88, Prairie View A&M 37Saturday, Nov. 29 Consolation: SE Missouri State 85, Prairie View 38 Championship: TAMU-Corpus Christi 68, Bowling Green 59
