SHANIA WOODS RECORDS THIRD STRAIGHT DOUBLE-DOUBLE, PRIVATEERS FALL TO ABILENE CHRISTIAN, 59-52

New Orleans-Despite holding Abilene Christian to a mere two points in a quarter and a third consecutive double-double performance by New Orleans' Shania Woods, the University of New Orleans Privateers (4-6, 0-1) dropped their Southland Conference opener to the Wildcats, 59-52, Wednesday at Lakefront Arena.
 
Woods, a senior from Houston, Texas, had 15 points and 10 rebounds in 35 minutes of action for UNO.  Woods had double-double outings in a victory over Dillard and a defeat on the road to Xavier of Ohio.
 
Abilene Christian (8-4, 1-0) is third in the conference in scoring averaging 72 points a contest.  However, New Orleans held the Wildcats 13 points under their average and to only 2 points in the second quarter.  UNO outscored ACU 9-2 in the period.  Earlier this season, New Orleans held Centenary to 5 points in a single quarter in a 104-42 win.
 
Junior center Whitley Larry had 9 points and 6 rebounds on the night.  The leading shot blocker in the Southland Conference had 3 blocks and 3 steals.
 
Point guard Jada Duncantell had 9 points and 3 steals for New Orleans.
 
40 of Abilene Christian's 59 points were scored in the paint.  
 
FIRST QUARTER
 
The shooting percentages tell the story of the first quarter.  ACU 8-of-16 (50%), UNO 3-of-11 (23.3%). Breanna Wright of the Wildcats, the game's leading scorer with 20, scored seven in the period and a layup by Makayla Mabry with 4 seconds to go gave Abilene Christian an 8-point, 18-10 lead after one. 
 
SECOND QUARTER
 
New Orleans took its first and only lead of the game at 19-18 in the second quarter thanks to a 9-0 run and perhaps the best defensive stretch of the season holding Abilene Christian to only 2 points in the period.   A Shania Woods layup, 2 free throws by Dionjhae Thomas, a Jada Duncantell basket, 2 freebies from Rehema Franklin and another charity toss by Thomas constituted the 9-0 run.  The Privateers lead lasted a mere 18 seconds as a bucket by Wright at the 2:30 mark made it 20-19 Wildcats and that was the halftime score.  UNO held ACU to 1-of-13 (7.7%) from the field for the period.
 
THIRD QUARTER
 
After a combined total of 11 points in the second period, things changed in the third as the clubs scored 41 points during the quarter.  Abilene outscored New Orleans 24-17 and took a 10-point advantage, 36-26, on a Sara Williamson bucket at the 4:33 mark.  It was their largest lead of the game and their only double-digit lead.  Sixteen of Abilene's 24 points were scored in the paint and the period ended Abilene Christian 44 New Orleans 36.
 
FOURTH QUARTER
 
ACU took a 9-point, 51-42 lead at 4:20 of the final period.  However, the Privateers sliced the lead to 2 points, thanks to a 9-2 run during a three minute run which saw a Whitley Larry jumper, a 3-pointer by Rehema Franklin, a Shania Woods jumper and a baseline drive by Alyssa Quixley, cutting the lead to 53-51 with 1:20 to go in the game.  A Dominique Golightly layup and 4 free throws by Breanna Wright iced it for the Wildcats as they snapped a three-game losing streak.
 
COACH'S COMMENTS
 
On Missed Opportunities:
 
"This is how it's going to be every single night in the Southland Conference.  We can't miss our moments to capitalize.  When you see a bright moment you have to capitalize and we didn't do that tonight."
 
"What hurt us was they scored 40 points in the paint and we shot only 17-for-50 from the field.  When you look at the inside layups we missed that just didn't fall, those are points that will make a difference in a game."
 
On Holding Abilene Christian To 2 Points:
 
"It's an awesome accomplishment to hold this team to 2 points in a quarter but we knew they were going to come out in the third quarter but we didn't respond out of the locker room as well as I would like us to respond.  It's tough because we don't like giving up any games at home but we've got to get back to the details of getting those chippies and making those small baskets on the inside.
 
On Late Game Situations:
 
"We have to work on special situations because we did not execute very well for our three-point shots on two tries at the end of the game.  We'll be going back to the drawing board and working on it a little bit more."
 
 
Up Next
 
The Privateers hit the road for their second conference contest of the season when they travel to Houston to take on the Huskies of Houston Baptist, Saturday, Jan. 5 at 2 p. m.
 
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