Women's Basketball Falls In Final Exhibition
Nov. 19, 2002
CORAL GABLES, Fla.-The University of Miami women’s basketball team played hard but came up short, losing 68-65 to the Premier Players in its final exhibition game on Tuesday night at Knight Sports Complex.
Junior Chanivia Broussard (Miami, Fla.) led Miami with 16 points, including 10 in the firsthalf.
Junior Shaquana Wilkins (Plymouth, Fla.) recorded her second double-double of the exhibition season with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
Sophomore point guard Yalonda McCormick (Miami, Fla.) dished out 11 assists and added eight points on the night.
The Hurricanes trailed 34-29 at the half after leading by as many as seven points early in the game. The Premier Players, a team made up of WNBA players, jumped out in the second half and took a 17-point lead with 12 minutes left to play in the game.
Miami cut the lead to one-point as Melissa Knight (Philadelphia, Pa.) nailed a three-pointer with 51 seconds remaining in the game.
Knight quickly got back on defense and forced a Premier Player turnover, but lost the ball in the scramble. The Hurricanes down by one fouled Tynesha Lewis who missed the front end of a one-and-one.
Wilkins grabbed the rebound and Miami was back on offense with 21 seconds remaining. UM missed a jumper to tie the game and were forced to foul.
Wendy Willits knocked in two free-throws to secure the three-point win for the Premier Players.
Lewis, of the Houston Comets, led the Premier Players with 26 points. Andrea Garner, of the Utah Starzz, led all players with 11 rebounds.
The Premier Players hit five three-pointers and shot 45% from the field, compared to two three-pointers and 40% from the field for Miami.
Miami opens its regular season Friday, Nov. 22, against visiting South Florida with tip-off set for 7 p.m.
