Miami Wins Thanksgiving Tournament
Nov. 26, 2005
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami women’s basketball team defeated Oakland 78-65 on Saturday evening at the BankUnited Center to capture the 2005 UM Thanksgiving Tournament Championship.
Senior forward Tamara James (24 points), junior forward Imani Dhahabu (11 points) and senior forward Melissa Knight (15 points) combined for 50 of Miami’s (3-0) 78 points to hand the Hurricanes their third-straight victory.
James recorded her second double-double of the tournament with 12 rebounds in 28 minutes and was named Tournament MVP after averaging 23.5 points and 11 rebounds in two games.
UM put together a 16-5 run to open the game and never allowed Oakland (1-3) to get within nine points, heading into the half with a 17-point lead, 46-29.
UM would lead by as much as 27 points in the second half to claim their third victory of the season marking only the ninth time in 34 seasons that a Miami team has opened the season 3-0. With the 3-0 start first-year head coach Katie Meier becomes just the second coach in UM history to begin their career with three consecutive victories.
Knight, who hit 7-of-11 from the field, also received All-Tournament honors for the Hurricanes. In just her second game as a Hurricane, freshman center Brittany Denson nearly turned in the first double-double of her career scoring nine points with nine rebounds.
Oakland’s Jayme Wilson led Oakland in total points with 21. Junior forward Nicole Piggott had 17 points of her own and was nominated to the All-Tournament Team for Oakland.
Miami returns to action Wednesday, hosting George Mason at 7 p.m. at the BankUnited Center.
2005 University of Miami Thanksgiving TournamentAll-Tournament Team
Aiga Bautre – Duquesne University
Devyn Flanagan – Bradley University
Nicole Piggott – Oakland University
Melissa Knight – University of Miami
Tamara James (MVP) – University of Miami
