LaToyas Lead Hurricanes in Comeback Win

Dec. 18, 2007

CANCUN, Mexico –

The University of Miami women’s basketball team (5-6) trailed by 20 points with less than three minutes to go in the first half, but came all the way back for a 63-56 victory over Southern Mississippi (8-4) in the opening day of the Caribbean Classic at the Moon Palace Resort.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>

Junior transfer Latoya Drake had a career day for the Hurricanes, scoring a career-high 18 points and pulling down eight rebounds.  In the second half, Drake scored 14 points, all of which were crucial to the <?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>Miami surge. 

Drake’s basket with 4:39 left pulled the `Canes within three and on the next possession freshman Epiphany Woodson tied the game with a three-pointer.  Just 20 seconds later with 2:51 remaining, Miami took its first lead of the game at 54-52 on Albrey Grimsley’s jumper in the lane.

UM ended the first half on an 8-0 run, finished by LaToya Cunningham’s back-to-back buckets.   Her 12 first-half points, kept her team in the game as she went 5-7 from the field.  At the break, she was the only Miami player with more than four points.

The Golden Eagles were led by Kendra Reed who had 16 points, including four three-point field goals.

Miami faces the no. 8 LSU Tigers in the second day of the Caribbean Classic, the tip-off is set for 3:30 p.m. (ET).  The Tigers are led by All-American candidate Sylvia Fowles.  LSU defeated the University of Illinois-Chicago on the opening day of the classic.