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Lady Pirates Falter Against JMU 74-51 For First Home Loss
 
ECU Hits The Road For Five-Game Trip Beginning In Atlanta vs. Davidson

 
Cherie Mills notches fourth career ECU double-double
 
Cherie Mills notches fourth career ECU double-double
 
 

Dec. 18, 2005

Final Stats

ECU-James Madison Box Score
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GREENVILLE, N.C.--The East Carolina women's basketball team dropped its first home game of the season 74-51 against James Madison inside Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum.

Cherie Mills notched her fourth double-double with a 15 point, 10 rebound performance to pace ECU (6-3). Meanwhile, the Dukes (7-1) were led by Tamera Young who set a new career-high in points (24) and rebounds (20).

With the two teams tied at 32-32 at the break, James Madison jumped out to a 47-38 lead with just under five minutes into the second half led by Meredith Alexis' five points. The Dukes extended their lead to 61-43 by the 9:18 mark after tough defense limited ECU to one shot opportunities.

"The difference today was rebounding," said head coach Sharon Baldwin-Tener. "It is something that we have been emphasizing the last week, but evidently need to figure out another way to do so. Whenever you get out rebounded by 25 you are not going to win many games. Once we get that figured out we will be a lot better basketball team."

Shooting only 6-of-26 (23.1%) during the second half, and 18-of-55 (32.7%) for the game, ECU was unable to draw within 20 points of JMU over the final 8:42 of the contest.

East Carolina jumped out to an early 10-4 through the first 3:21 of the contest, led by Cherie Mills five points along with a three-pointer by Jessica Slack who made the first start of her career.

 

 

After the lead grew to 19-9 by the 12:14 mark, before the Dukes answered with a 14-6 run to draw within one basket. LaCoya Terry sparked the Lady Pirates offense with a shot from long range, followed by a jumper in the lane to give ECU a 30-23 advantage.

James Madison rallied behind the efforts of Alexis and Young. Young scored four of her game-high 17 points over the final 4:34 to close out the half, while Alexis added four points during the 8-2 run.

Sending the two teams to the lockerroom in a 32-32 tie, Cherie Mills scored 11 points to lead the Lady Pirates with Terry and Slack adding seven and six points respectively.

JMU vs. East Carolina
December 18, 2005
Game Notes

  • Jessica Slack started in her first game for the Lady Pirates.
  • Freshman Alicia Person entered the game at 11:49 of the second half, seeing her first action of the season.
  • Seniors Catherine Coley (2 points, 11 minutes); LaToya Horton (2 points, 2 rebounds); Ebonee Downey (two minutes) and junior Amanda Mills added one rebound, two points, all saw action in the contest.
  • Cherie Mills has four double-doubles on the season. In 2004-05 Jennifer Jackson led the Lady Pirates with five for the season.
  • Most points allowed in a game since March 3, 2005 (vs. Memphis, 76).

    Head Coach Sharon Baldwin-Tener
    Inside game of JMU: "They were a great rebounding team coming in, they out rebounded their opponents by about eight (per game) and it is something that we have just got to decide that we are going to do."
    Second half shooting of the Dukes: "I don't get as frustrated when they hit tough shots. James Madison is a very good basketball team, and for us to be tied at halftime I was proud of the way that we played in the first half. It is not those (shots) that beat us, they did deflate the kids maybe, but good players are going to make plays and shots. It is all the others, the second shots, and opportunities that they get that are unacceptable."