Jan. 4, 2012
Post-Game Press Conference:
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NORFOLK, Va. - Senior Tia Lewis recorded a career-high 30 points to lead Old Dominion University women's basketball to a 68-59 victory over Georgia State Wednesday night at the Ted Constant Center.
Old Dominion (4-10, 1-1) held the lead for the entire second half, but Georgia State (6-7, 1-1) was able to cut the lead with a 9-0 run to 59-55 with four minutes to play. Lady Monarch head coach Karen Barefoot called a timeout to regroup the squad and as ODU reeled off six-straight, two free throws from Tiffany Minor and four-straight points from Lewis to build the lead back up to 65-55. GSU did not scored again until the 1:50 mark and Jackie Cook answered right back with a layup to push the lead back to 10.
Old Dominion built its lead up to as much as 18 early in the second half at 50-32, as Lewis dropped in four quick points and Mairi Buchan also added a jumper.
Georgia State responded with a 9-2 spurt, as Nicole Hargraves scored seven of the nine to pull the Panthers back to within 11 at 52-41.
The Lady Monarchs pushed the lead back to 13 on a pair of Mairi Buchan foul shots but the Panthers clawed back under double-digits for the first time since the 2:20 mark of the first half on a layup by Sade Means to make the score 59-50.
Georgia State went on a 9-0 run to cut the lead back to four at 59-55, before ODU got back on the board with a pair of free throws from Tiffany Minor to move the lead back to six.
ODU started on fire, jumping on the Panthers with a 9-0 run to take a 13-4 lead early in the contest. Lewis played a huge part, scoring six of ODU's first 13 points. She finished the first half with 18 points to lead the way for Old Dominion.
GSU cut the lead to seven but ODU stormed back to retake a double-digit lead with six-straight points, four coming from Mairi Buchan.
The Lady Monarchs kept the lead above double-digits for the majority of the half, as Lewis poured in six of ODU's final eight points of the half, as JoNiquia Guilford also added a layup, to give ODU a 39-26 halftime advantage.
Lewis completed her night with her sixth double-double of the season, as she added 10 rebounds to go along with her 30 points.
Guilford added 12 points to go along with a career-best six assists, while Mairi Buchan chipped in eight points and five rebounds. Ashley Betz-White added seven assists and four steals in 33 minutes of action.
Nicole Hargraves led the Panthers with 10 points, all coming in the second half. Tiffany Anderson added nine.
The Lady Monarchs are back in action on Sunday when they head to Northeastern for a 2 p.m. contest.