Dec. 7, 2008
Box Score
NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. - Siena women's basketball won their first game of the season earlier today, 63-54 at Niagara. Junior guard Allie Lindemann scored 15 points highlighted by 3-of-6 3-point shooting and 4-of-4 from the free throw line while sophomore forward Cathy Cockrum set a career-high with 12 points. Liz Flooks led all scorers with 26 points in a losing effort.
Siena (1-7) led 8-2 four minutes in with Heather Stec making the first two field goals of the game. But she picked up two quick fouls and sat the final 14 minutes of the half. She only played 16 minutes the entire game.
Niagara's (1-7) Liz Flooks hit four straight baskets and five free throws to give the Purple Eagles a 19-12 lead with 9:55 remaining in the first half.
Cathy Cockrum, in her first career-start, got the Saints back on track with two field goals in a 25-second span to cut the deficit to 19-16. Junior guard Charlieann Chacon energized the Saints, contributing five points, an assist and a steal in seven minutes off the bench.
Siena hurt their cause going 0-4 from the free throw line before Chacon hit two. Although Siena was just 2-8 from the charity stripe, at least they were getting to the line. Siena entered today's game last in the league in free throw attempts with 58 (8.29/game). They improved their free throw shooting in the second half, hitting 7-of-8.
Serena Moore tied the game 28-28 by stealing the ball from Rachel Folino and going coast-to-coast with 1:50 remaining. Chacon hit a three to take back the lead for the Saints 31-29 with 43 seconds on the clock.
Cockrum continued to produce in the second half as she finished with 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the floor. Siena's forwards all chipped in, combining for 15-28 from the field and 32 points.
Flooks (12) and Jennifer McNamee (6) carried the Purple Eagles in the second half, scoring the last 18 points of the game in the final 14 minutes.
With 22 seconds left, Stec recovered a loose ball in the paint and found Fullmer who converted the open layup. The basket put the Saints up 59-54 and sealed the game. Fullmer had a solid all-around game with six points, seven rebounds, four blocks, three assists and three steals. Stec came up big at the end of the game. She scored six of her 10 total points in the final 4:48.
Siena returns to action in the Women of Troy Basketball Classic at the University of Southern California. The Saints will play Harvard December 19 at 7:45 p.m. and Duke December 20 at 10 p.m. Both times are Eastern.
