Jan. 19, 2008

Box Score

Junior forward Natasha Azizi (Katy, TX/Cinco Ranch HS) scored a season-high 24 points and missed just one shot as the SU women's basketball team posted a 73-59 win over Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference rival Rhodes College on Saturday (Jan. 19) evening in Georgetown, TX.

Azizi connected on 10-11 field goals and was a perfect 4-4 from the free throw line. Her 10 field goals made tied a career-high. Azizi also tied for the game-high with seven rebounds while also dishing out two assists and grabbing one steal.

Southwestern held the lead briefly in the first half, surrendered the lead at the 15:71 mark. The Lynx then built a lead up to six before the Pirates were able to tie the game 21-21. Rhodes was able to pull back away and lead 29-24 at the half.

The Pirates came alive in the second half when an Azizi layup gave them the lead for good with 16:49 remaining. Later, Azizi drained another basket in the paint to give SU a 15-point lead, its largest of the game

Senior Kelli Hill (Plano, TX/Plano East HS) made a season-high four three-pointers and missed reaching a career-high in points with 16. She was also 4-4 from the charity stripe and collected two steals. Jessica Hoch (Garden City, TX/Garden City HS) pitched in 10 points, pulled down five rebounds and had four assists. First-year Staley Mullins (Dallas, TX/Bishop Lynch HS) recorded seven rebounds for the Bucs.

SU had a strong shooting night, connect on 48.9 percent (23-47) from the floor, 35.7 percent (5-14) from three-point range and 81.5 percent (22-27) from the free throw line. The Pirates held a huge advantage in rebounds, 38-24 and forced the Lynx in to 13 turnovers.

The Pirates move to 9-6 for the year and 3-3 in the SCAC. SU is tied for third in the western division. Rhodes falls to 7-9 overall and 0-6 in the conference.

Southwestern hits the road for its next two games, traveling to Sewanee, TN to face Sewanee on Friday (Jan. 25) at 6:00 pm followed by a game at Oglethorpe University on Saturday (Jan. 26) at 6:00 pm in Atlanta, GA.