`Canes Battle Back For OT Win on Senior Day
Feb. 28, 2010
CORAL GABLES – The University of Miami women’s basketball team (17-12, 4-10) overcame a nine-point deficit with 1:32 remaining in regulation and pulled away in overtime to defeat the Boston College Eagles (15-14, 6-8), 76-68 Sunday afternoon at the BankUnited Center.
Katie Meier called a timeout with three seconds remaining and designed a lob play for senior Diane Barnes under the basket. The lob was a too high for Barnes to control, but she managed to get her fingertips on it and the deflection went to a wide open Morgan Stroman. The freshman made the layup and forced overtime with the scored knotted at 64.
In the overtime period Barnes took over. The Lakeland, Fla. native scored seven of her 12 points in the extra frame and grabbed four rebounds. She ended the game just a rebound shy of her eighth double-double of the season.
Riquna Williams scored five points of her own in overtime, and finished with a game-high 27. She hit five three-pointers along the way, giving her 83 on the season – a new school single season record.
Miami’s comeback in the final 90 seconds of regulation would not have been possible without sophomore All-ACC Player of the Year candidate, Shenise Johnson. With the score in favor of Boston College at 64-55, Johnson sank a pair of free throws on consecutive possesions. Then with 37 seconds to go, the Henrietta, N.Y. native sank a three-pointer to pull the `Canes within two at 64-62.
A traveling call on the Eagles’ Stefanie Murphy in the back court set up the dramatic final bucket by Stroman.
Johnson recorded her eighth double-double of the season as she scored 17 points and grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds, while also dishing out six assists.
Miami’s only four-year senior and Meier’s original recruit, Charmaine Clark, dealt out a game-best seven assists to go with her six rebounds and three steals.
The Hurricanes forced 27 Boston College turnovers, outscoring the visitors 31-5 in points off turnovers. The `Canes also outpaced the Eagles 15-0, in scoring out of the fast break.
Williams went 3-of-5 from beyond the arc in the opening half and led all players with 13 points. Johnson was only 1-of-4 from the floor heading into the break, but she led all players with six rebounds and five assists.
Miami led by as much as 11 points but Boston College pulled to within one at 20-19. However, UM closed out the half on a 13-6 run and led 33-25 at the break.
The `Canes will face Wake Forest in the opening round of the ACC Tournament, Thursday, March 4 at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, N.C. at 11 a.m.
