Miami University
Wake Forest
RedHawks Tripped Up by Wake Forest in Home Opener
11/21/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 21, 2009
OXFORD, Ohio - Three RedHawks scored in double figures, but the Miami University women's basketball team was unable to keep pace with high-powered Wake Forest, falling 78-62 Saturday afternoon at Millett Hall in Miami's home opener. The RedHawks (1-2) dropped their home debut for the first time since 2006 and just the fourth time in the last 18 years, while the Demon Deacons (3-0) were on the road for the first time this season.
Freshman guard Courtney Osborn (Fishers, Ind.) and senior forward Ashleigh Brown (Delaware, Ohio) tied for team-high honors for Miami with 14 points each, with Osborn adding career bests of six boards and five assists while Brown nabbed a game-high four steals. The RedHawks shot 43.6 percent in the contest, including 51.6 in the final period, but hit just 4-of-19 shots from 3-point range. Miami was outrebounded by 10 (42-32) and also committed five more turnovers than WFU, which contributed to the defeat.
Sophomore forward Rachael Hencke (Grafton, Wis.) chipped in 12 points, while freshman forward Kirsten Olowinski (Erie, Pa.) tallied a career-high nine points and seven caroms. Sophomore guard Maggie Boyer (Lebanon, Ind.) had eight points and a career-best five assists for the 'Hawks, as well.
Wake Forest's Brittany Waters carried the Deacons, who shot 45.6 percent in the game, with a career-best 33 points on 12-of-22 shooting, including 4-of-9 from distance, while also grabbing a game-high 12 rebounds for a double-double. Secily Ray and Sandra Garcia each scored 10 points for WFU while Brooke Thomas handed out 10 assists and gathered seven boards.
The Demon Deacons used 17 offensive rebounds to score 16 second-chance points and registered 46 of their 78 points in the paint.
The RedHawks jumped out to a 14-7 lead early, led by seven points from Osborn, forcing a Wake Forest timeout less than seven minutes into the contest. A 16-2 Demon Deacons spurt over the next six minutes however, including nine points from Waters, gave the lead back to Wake Forest at 23-16. A free throw and layup by Hencke stopped the bleeding with 6:24 left in the half, but the RedHawks wouldn't record another field goal until Osborn buried a jumper with 35 ticks left in the half. Meanwhile, Waters added six more points for the Deacons and Courteney Morris chipped in five to build a 36-23 halftime lead for WFU.
Waters led all scorers with 20 points at the break, while Osborn paced Miami with nine points, but committed six of the RedHawks' 14 first-half turnovers. Miami hit just 33.3 percent of its shots in the period, including 2-of-10 from behind the arc, while Wake Forest shot at a clip of 43.8 percent, including four trifectas.
The Demon Deacons scored on their first six possessions of the second half, using a 13-2 run to open up a 24-point cushion until a pair of free throws by senior Courtney Reed (Andrews, Ind.) halted the outburst. Wake Forest then used its size advantage and quick passing to build the lead to 29 with 12:01 to play at 60-31, before Miami went on a 14-3 spurt, half of which came from Olowinski, to close within 18 with 8:50 to play. After two buckets by the Deacons, Brown rattled off six straight points to get the 'Hawks within 14 with under five minutes to play.
A steal by Brown and a triple by junior Briana Dunlap (Country Club Hills, Ill.) brought Miami within 11-the closest margin since late in the first half-with less than three minute to go. The RedHawks would get no closer, however, as Wake Forest closed out the game on a 7-2 run, including three free throws, for the 78-62 final margin.
Miami returns to the court Friday, Nov. 27, when it heads to Pittsburgh for the Pitt Thanksgiving Tournament. The RedHawks face Marshall at 3 p.m. Friday before playing host Pitt or Appalachian State on Saturday.
--MURedHawks.com--
