Women's Basketball Battles Iowa State Early But Falls 100-63

Ames, Iowa- The University of New Orleans women's basketball team led after the first period and trailed by seven at halftime. However Iowa State, one of the country's best 3-point shooting teams, relied on that long-rage marksmanship to pull away in the second half for a 100-63 win, Sunday at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa before a crowd on 9,791 fans.
               
"I feel good about this game," said New Orleans head coach Keeshawn Davenport.  "I keep telling them they have what it takes but it's going to take everything they have."
 
The Privateers (3-4) gave everything they had on this day, taking a 15-13 lead after the first quarter.   UNO led by six points on two occasions during the opening period.  Junior Kayla Mundy (Human Performance) came off the bench to lead the way with 7 points in the period.  She finished with a career-high 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field in 23 minutes of action.
 
"She played fearless and the Kayla that showed up today is the Kayla we see in practice.  Finally, she looked comfortable enough to play the way she's been practicing and it paid off for her," said Davenport.
 
The Cyclones grabbed the lead early in the second quarter at 21-19 on a Meredith Burkhall layup.  The home team maintained the lead throughout the period and the margin would reach 10 points.   However, three free throws by Randi Brown Human Performance) and a basket by Halie Matthews (Biological Sciences), who returned from a back injury, put New Orleans well within striking distance, trailing 42-35 at the break.
 
Iowa State used a 21-8 stretch during the third quarter to break the game open.  A 44-37 Cyclone lead at the 8:22 mark   turned into a 20-point 65-45 advantage with 2:07 to go when Emily Durr canned a three pointer.  Durr paced Iowa State in scoring on the day with 19.  All five of her baskets were 3-pointers.  As a team they were 12-of-18 from long range.
 
"We kind of went away from the game plan of keeping them off the 3-point line.  We lost by 37 and they had 36 points from behind the 3-point line.  So we must find a way to stick to the plan in this kind of environment," explained Davenport.
 
In the fourth period, the Privateers were outscored 30-14 as Iowa State (6-1) cruised the rest of the way to victory.
 
Randi Brown (Human Performance) last week's Southland Conference Player of the Week, finished the day with 14 points in 19 minutes of play.  Senior Jewel Angelo continue her consistently improved play netting 12 points for the third consecutive outing.
 
New Orleans was outrebounded by ten (33-to-23) and the rebounding leader for UNO was sophomore Shania Woods (Accounting) who grabbed 10.
 
The Privateers reserves scored 41 of 63 points posted on the day.
 
"Playing in places like Iowa State, Texas and Alabama we're competing in these games now, we're not just showing up thinking we're not going to win."  Davenport continued, "These games will get us ready for the Southland Conference schedule."
 
New Orleans will return to the court on Monday, Dec. 12, when they entertain Trinity Baptist at Lakefront Arena.  Tipoff is 11 a. m.   For tickets to that game and other Privateer Athletics events, contact the UNO Athletics Ticket Office at (504) 280-GAME (4263) or via the Internet by clicking HERE.
    
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