Nov. 28, 2002
ST. THOMAS, VI -- Sophomore guard Shareese Grant (Va. Beach, VA) netted 10 of her team-high 13 points in the second half and helped bring the Lady Monarchs within one point with 17 seconds left in the game, but Arkansas held on to edge Old Dominion, 49-54, in the first day of action at the Paradise Jam in St. Thomas.
The Lady Razorbacks (3-0) mounted a 6-0 lead and kept the Lady Monarchs(0-2) from scoring a field goal until the 13:52 mark to open the first half of play. However, free throws by Old Dominion kept Arkansas from extending their lead in the opening half and the Lady Razorbacks never enjoyed more than a five-point half time 24-19 lead.
Old Dominion opened the second half on a 7-2 run to tie the game, 26-26, with 17:27 remaining on a jumper by Grant. Arkansas countered with a 10-2 run of their own, putting themselves up 36-28 with 14:12 left. Old Dominion continually chipped away at the Lady Razorback lead and beginning with the 12:27 mark, did not give Arkansas more than a two-point lead until the final seconds of the game. Grant hit a lay-up with 17 seconds left on the clock, pulling the Lady Monarchs within one, 50-49. The Lady Monarchs fouled on the ensuing possession, but Arkansas' leading scorer, India Lewis hit both her free throws giving the Lady Razorbacks a three-point edge. Senior guard Okeisha Howard (Va. Beach, VA) had a chance to tie the game on a three-pointer but missed, forcing Old Dominion to foul to stop the clock and allowing Lewis to hit two more free throws to give Arkansas a five point lead with six seconds remaining.
"We missed a number of shots at the rim at crucial times," said head coach Wendy Larry. "However, we did make free throws when it counted. Down the stretch, we just did not hit the shots we needed to make the game closer."
Lewis was the only Lady Razorback in double figures with a game-high 21 points. Howard added 12 points in the loss for the Lady Monarchs, while junior Monique Coker (Bronx, NY), who was celebrating her 20th birthday, collected a career-high 13 rebounds.The Lady Monarchs take on Duke tomorrow at 5:15 p.m. (EST). Duke defeated Hampton Roads rival, Hampton, 71-34, earlier this afternoon.