March 24, 2014
Box Score
MISSOULA, Mont. - The University of San Diego women's basketball team held on to claim a 60-57 win over the University of Montana in the second round of the Women's National Invitational Tournament Monday evening at the Dahlberg Arena.
With the win, the Toreros improve to 24-8 overall, and advance onto the sweet 16 of the WNIT and will take on the winner of Oregon and Washington game on Wednesday, Mar. 26 at a site to be determined. With the loss, the Lady Grizz concludes the season at 23-11 overall.
With 3.3 seconds left, and USD clinging to a 3-point lead, the Grizz inbounded the ball and Jordan Sullivan threw up a wild shot that didn't have a chance, and fell out of bounds as time expired to give USD the victory.
"I thought our heart and our passion to win the game against this crowd, and with how physical they are, was incredible, and I was just really pleased with everybody who stepped on the floor," stated head coach Cindy Fisher. "I thought collectively as a group, we just really played with a lot of heart."
Amy Kame led all scorers with 25 points on 11-of-26 shooting from the field, while pulling down five rebounds. Katherine Hamilton tied a career-high with 12 points on 5-of-12 shooting from the field, while also recording a career-high six steals. Sophia Ederaine rounded off the double-digit scorers with 11 points on 3-of-10 shooting, while recording five blocks. As a team, USD shot 39.3% from the field, while outrebounding the Grizz 38-36.
In the first half, the Toreros gave the Lady Grizz all kinds of defensive pressure, and Montana had a lot of trouble dealing with it. USD grabbed the first basket of the game on a Kame jumper, but Montana then went on a 9-2 run to take the lead at 9-4 with 16:07 to go. A Felicia Wijenberg jumper it the paint then sparked a 10-2 Torero run over the next three minutes to give USD the momentum and a 14-11 lead with 13:27 to go.
There were then five more lead changes over the next six minutes of action, and USD continued to implore its full court press, which Montana just could not figure out. USD took the final lead change at 7:08 with a Ederaine free throw. USD did not trail again for the half, as they managed to go into the break up four at 36-32, thanks to a Kame last second jumper, giving her 17 first half points.
In the second half, USD quickly built up a double-digit lead as they opened the frame on an 8-2 run over the first 4:45 of play to take a 44-34 lead. The Grizz just kept hanging round, however, and they only hit one of their first six shots in the half. USD would then build up its lead to 12 at 48-36 on an Ederaine jumper in the paint with 13:15 to go.
The two teams would trade baskets over the next six minutes of play, until Montana finally got something going. With USD leading 55-49, a McCalle Feller jumper sparked a 6-0 Grizz run to pull even with USD at 55-all with just 1:03 to go. USD didn't panic however, as Kame hit a huge jumper to give USD back their lead at 57-55 with 41 seconds left.
The Toreros then hit three of four free throws down the stretch to set up the exciting final three seconds.
