Sat., Feb. 14, 2009

   FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- Chelsea Joseph took over the University of Saint Francis double-double baton, Angie Roy led USF scoring and the Lady Cougars regained the winning touch with a decisive 90-53 win over Grace College on Saturday at Hutzell Athletic Center.
   Jamika Banks finished with 16 points, her seventh straight game scoring in double figures, and eight rebounds to end her USF record of consecutive double-double games at eight. But Joseph scored 10 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Lady Cougars while Roy fired in 18 points including 2 3-pointers. Marie Kaufmann added 16 points and Stacia Shepherd 12 in the balanced USF offensive. Kaufmann moved into 10th place on the USF career scoring list increasing her points total to 1,258. She passed USF assistant coach Cassie Crider, who finished with 1,252 points.
   "What a difference when you limit your turnovers and put some defensive pressure on the other team makes," USF head coach Gary Andrews said. "It was a good win for us," the eighth this season in 14 Mid-Central College Conference games this season.
   The Lancers, who are now 2-13 on the road this season, jumped out to an early 6-0 lead before Joseph knocked the USF goose egg off the scoreboard with a baseline jumper with 16:35 to play in the first half. Joseph started an 11-0 run for USF that Jess Teubert completed with a pullup jumper at 14:31. USF pushed its lead to 18-10, but the young GC squad bounced back on a 2-point basket by Hannah Lengel and a Kate Ball 3-pointer. GC only trailed 18-15 with 10:09 to play in the half.
   After a USF timeout, the Lady Cougars got the message and took complete control outscoring the Lancers 17-0 over the next five minutes. Banks got the surge started with a 3-pointer and Vini Dawson scored after grabbing a ball tipped away by Shepherd. After a Joseph steal, Banks pushed the USF lead to 20, 35-15, with 6:10 to play in the half.
   "We did a nice job of putting more defensive pressure on Grace and converting on the offensive end," Andrews said about the USF surge. "We made a statement with our defense."
   Shooting .576 hitting 19-of-33 shots in the first half didn't hurt either. 
   USF resumes play on Wednesday at No. 11 Huntington University at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast on WGL 1250 AM starting at 6:45 p.m. The Foresters won the first meeting back in January 75-58 at USF.