UNO-Dillard Box Score
NEW ORLEANS – An Ariel Mitchell jumper in the paint with 46 seconds left proved to be the difference as Dillard pulled out a 66-63 win over the University of New Orleans on Thursday night at Dent Hall.
In a second half that featured eight lead changes and five ties, Mitchell's basket put DU (2-4) in the driver's seat for good.
Mitchell scored 15 points for the Lady Bleu Devils who forced two turnovers and watched as a UNO (0-8) shot was off the mark in the final 40 seconds of play. DU's Jazzmin Smith was the top scorer in the game with 22 points, shooting 9 of 13 from the field while struggling to a 4 of 10 night from the charity stripe.
The Lady Privateers were led in defeat by
Mirjam Sipos with 19 points while
Keri Thomas added 15. Sipos was one of three players to foul out for UNO in the second half alongside teammates
Kayla Chaney and
Yosha Watson as the visitors made an effort to get back in the game.
In the opening half, it was the Lady Bleu Devils that controlled the contest.
Following a Sipos three-pointer to provide UNO's first points of the contest, DU grabbed control with 11 straight points on way to an 11-3 advantage. The Lady Privateers missed five consecutive shots from the field during the spurt by the hosts.
A Wallace fast break lay-up ended the offensive drought as UNO scored nine straight before enjoying their final lead of the first half at 16-14 with remaining before the break.
The momentum swung the other way as the Lady Bleu Devils scored 11 of the next 13 points to move ahead 25-18. The Lady Privateers would get within three points, but entered the locker room at the half trailing 34-27 after a Jasmine Bradley buzzer beater capped the DU scoring.
The second half was a battle between the two teams.
Thomas hit big shot after big shot for the Lady Privateers, including a basket with 8:48 remaining in the contest to put UNO ahead 47-46, their first advantage since the opening half.
Thomas totaled 13 points in the second half for a UNO team that led 63-61 with 1:55 to go in the game when Sipos made a lay-up. DU scored the final five points of the contest as the Lady Privateers had two turnovers and two missed shots til the final buzzer.
UNO will take a 10-day hiatus for final examinations before heading to Birmingham Southern on Dec. 11. Tip is scheduled for 2 p.m.
