University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Women's Basketball Blog from Winthrop
03.06.2009 | Women's Basketball
40 minutes thoughts
Obviously a great game for Kendall Shepard, she finishes 6-for-9 from three-point range and sets a new career-high with 18 points. Jessica Monroe finished with 11 points (10 in the second half). Ana Baker did not score in the second half and finished with nine points. The story of the game was Ashley Fann who scored 27 points (23 in the second half) after playing just nine minutes in the first half. Tiffany Rodd and Ashley Haugtvedt each scored 11 points. Winthrop shot 54 percent in the second half while Asheville shot 38 percent in the second stanza.
I said at halftime that this game was similar to the first meeting and the second half followed the same script. Winthrop totally dominated the second half just as they did in the game in Asheville. What does it all mean? Well it looks like Asheville will be the No. 7 seed in next week's tournament. UNC Asheville and Gardner-Webb will both finish 7-9 but GWU will win the tie breaker. Good news is the first round opponent will be either Radford or High Point both whom the Dogs played well against this season.
I hope you enjoyed the blog. Good night.
Final- Winthrop 72, Asheville 58
Kendall remains the only bright spot of the second half. She hits her sixth three-pointer of the game which ties the UNC Asheville record for most three-pointers in a game. She ties Ashton Barton (vs Furman, 11/20/07), Brittany “Puff” Hendley ( at Coastal 2/10/07), and Ashley Woods (vs. Coastal 12/3/91) who have each done it. Unfortunately, Shepard's performance will come in a loss. Her effort for seven rimmed out with a 1:03 to play. Monroe and Shepard combine for 18 of the Bulldogs 22 points in the second half. For the second time this year, Winthrop shoots with the shot clock off at the end of the game. This time they miss and it ends 72-58.
3:56- media time out- Winthrop 66, Asheville 52
Winthrop is shooting 68 percent in the second half. They have made great halftime adjustments in both meetings this season. Bulldogs have nine turnovers in the half to just four for the Eagles. Fann is on a personal 5-0 run she now has 19 points in the game (15 this half). Another turnover and Eagle basket makes in 60-49 with 6:55 left as Coach Blose calls a timeout. Thank goodness for Kendall Shepard tonight. She has five three pointers in the game but the Bulldogs cannot guard Ashley Fann here in the second half. The Eagles had the lead to 15 before Shepard hit her last basket. Shepard had 15 points all on three-pointers. Shelly Hankins fouled and gets the basket. It is a 14 point deficit and Hankins will be at the line after the timeout.
7:42- media time out- Winthrop 56, Asheville 49
It a 22-6 Winthrop run since Montgomery gave Asheville a 40-30 lead at the 18:40 mark. Monroe hits two free throws at the 10:22 mark to make 52-46 Winthrop. Jessica is the only Bulldog scoring right now. She has eight of the Bulldogs 12 points in the half. Shepard gets her first points of the second half and the Dogs first three-pointer of the half. Dogs need a stop down four. They get it and can make it a one possession game , but Okoli misses a baseline jumper and Fann hits a three-pointer from the corner to push the lead back to seven.
11:47- media time out- Winthrop 48, Asheville 44
Another four minute scoring drought for the Bulldogs, Asheville hasn't scored since the 18:40 mark. Fann scores to put Winthrop up for the first time since very early on. Monroe ends the slump with a basket at the 14:18 mark. She has six of Asheville's eight points in the half. Meanwhile, Fann continues to score at will. She has 10 points in the half as Coach Blose calls a time out with Winthrop leading 44-42 with 13:50 to play. Team's trade baskets before Fann scores again, she has 12 in the half. Bulldogs are having a tough time finding a shot and have turned the ball over six times already in this half.
15:55- media time out- Asheville 40, Winthrop 40
Monroe hits a jumper to start the half but Fann answers on the other end. Monroe again scores inside she now has five points. Bulldogs get a stop and Montgomery banks in a shot from 17 feet. Rodd on the other end gets a kind bounce on a three-pointer. Fann scores again to make it a 5-0 Winthrop run and cut the lead to five. Fansler hits a three and now it's an 8-0 Winthrop run. It only took two minutes for the Eagles to tie the game after the Bulldogs built a 10 point lead. Fann has six points in the half and 10 in the game.
20 minute thoughts
This game is a little too similar to the first game in Asheville where the Dogs jumped out to a 16-3 lead and led by 10 at halftime. Asheville shot 41 percent in the first half while Winthrop shot 40 percent. The difference in this game is that Winthrop is shooting well to. It is not like they have started slowly. Ashley Fann missed most of the first half with foul trouble we will have to see how that plays out. Shepard and Baker both have nine points for Asheville while Haugtvedt has nine points for Winthrop. Rebounds are even at 16. Eagles are 6-for-6 from the foul line while the Bulldogs are 7-for-11 after starting 5-for-6, so we went 2-for-5 down the stretch. Bulldogs have hit five three pointers in the opening half to just two for the Eagles. Everything is pretty even statistically. Dogs have a six point lead and the ball when we start the second half.
Halftime- Asheville 34, Winthrop 28
Ashley Haugtvedt hits a three, to make it 29-24 UNCA. Dogs have gone almost six minutes without a field goal. Kendall Shepard ends the drought with a three-pointer at the2:05 mark. Shepard has nine points to lead all scorers. Baker kisses one off the glass to give the Dogs a 5-0 run and a 34-24 lead with 1:28 left in the half. Eagles score four in a row from the foul line as predicted the fouls evened up. Fouls are 10-9 at half time. Van Daalen blew a lay-up on a fast break and Lindsey Montgomery missed a lay-up with five seconds left in the half. Van Daalen's half court shot hit the rim but we go to halftime leading 34-28.
3:41- media time out- Asheville 29, Winthrop 21
Winthrop scores the first five points after the time out. Ana Baker picked up her second foul with 5:49 left in the half. She stays in the game. Bulldogs have a 12-2 advantage on points off turnovers. Jessica Monroe goes one for two from the charity stripe to momentarily stop the run. 16 fouls called in 16 minutes so far. 10 on Winthrop, six on Asheville. Turnovers are a problem for both teams. Winthrop has turned it over 12 times, 10 for the Dogs. Both teams have now gone three minutes without a made basket. Asheville's last field goal was at the 8:03 mark.
7:09- media time out- Asheville 28, Winthrop 16
Winthrop has committed seven team fouls already in the half. This scares me because fouls tend to even out late in the half. Bulldogs are 5-for-6 from the foul line early on. Every trip down there seems to be a Winthrop foul. Ashley Fann, Winthrop's leading scorer picked up her second foul with 8:57 left in the half. Both teams are shooting 53 percent from the foul. Points at the free throw line are the difference right now. Lindsey Montgomery a nice basket and goes to the line can completes the three-point play. Dogs by 10 (26-16). Baker pull up jumper has Asheville up 12.
11:59- media time out- Asheville 16, Winthrop 10
Teams trading baskets, Chioma will be at the line after the time out. Ana Baker had a steal and a fast break basket to Kendall Shepard who already has six points in the game.
15:59- media time out?Asheville 9, Winthrop 4
The Bulldogs shooting well from long range. Kendall Shepard hit a pair of three-pointers and Ana Baker added another as the Dogs hit their first three from long range. It is quite an improvement since only hitting one three pointer at Radford on Monday.
Well the night got off to a rough start as we were unable to connect to the internet audio broadcast. My apology for that, but the video stream is working for a small fee on Big South Sports.com. Meanwhile I will take you through the game with my blog.
