New Orleans- Despite trailing by 19 points in the third quarter, the University of New Orleans outscored Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 40-19 in the final 16 minutes of the game, culminating with a game-winning jumper by center
Whitley Larry with 8.2 seconds to go.
Larry's bucket was the deciding margin for a thrilling, 56-54 UNO win over the Islanders, Saturday at Lakefront Arena in New Orleans.
However, the engine driving the UNO comeback was junior guard
Rehema Franklin with a career-high 16 points in 21 minutes of play. The junior out of Edna Karr High School in New Orleans had 2 assists and a steal while hitting 4-of-9 shots from behind the 3-point arch.
Franklin, who led all scorers, was the only Privateer in double-figures followed by
Shania Woods with 9 points and a team-high 6 rebounds. Shania's younger sibling
Asia Woods was key off the bench with 8 points and 5 rebounds. Sophomore guard
Jada Duncantell and
Whitley Larry had 6 each.
New Orleans avenged a defeat at the hands of the Islanders on Jan. 19, in Corpus Christi, 57-51.
FIRST QUARTER
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi scored the first 8 points of the game.
Asia Woods put the Privateers on the scoreboard at the 7:15 mark with a layup to make it 8-2. The Islanders won the period 18-6, holding the home team to 20% shooting from the field, 3-of-15, while AM-CC hit 8-of-16, 50%. Baskets by
Asia Woods,
Traya Bruce and
Jana Thomas-Reid were all the Privateers could muster.
SECOND QUARTER
New Orleans' doldrums continued in the second quarter. This time UNO was a frigid 2-of-9 for 22.2% in the second period. The Islanders were only slightly better, canning 5-of-12 shots from the field. They led by as much as 15 on three occasions, including at halftime, 28-13. At the break A&M-CC outrebounded the Privateers 23-14. Alexes Bryant, had 6 points at the break to lead the Islanders. She finished with a team-high 13.
THIRD QUARTER
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi grabbed their largest lead of the contest, 19, at the 6:41 mark of the third on a Bryant jumper, 35-16. New Orleans came alive in the final 3 minutes of the period thanks to a 12-2 run, cutting a 42-24 deficit to 44-36 after three.
Rehema Franklin knocked down back-to-back 3-point shots,
Asia Woods contributed a layup followed by a Pebbles Pimpton jumper. Another layup by
Asia Woods at the :15 second mark of the third quarter cut it to an 8-point lead after three, 44-36. Franklin had 12 points in the period, all on 3's. New Orleans was 9-of-12 from the floor (75%) and 4-of-5 (80%) from 3.
FOURTH QUARTER
UNO took the lead for the first time thanks to an impressive 11-2 run. Franklin tied it and gave the Privateers the lead with an old fashion 3-point-play. Her nothing-but-net free throw put New Orleans up for the first time, 47-46 with 4:41 to go in the game. A Delesia Booth bucket put the Islanders up 48-47. A 6-2 run capped by an Emma Young layup put the Islanders up 54-49 with 2:45 to play. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi would not score again. Back-to-back baskets by
Shania Woods made it 54-53 Islanders at the 1:08 mark. Franklin was fouled and hit one-of-two from the line to tie it at 54. Setting the stage for
Whitley Larry's game winning jumper with 8.2 seconds to go. Alexes Bryant missed a jump shot for the visitors as time expired.
COACH'S COMMENTS
ON REHEMA FRANKLIN:
"She has the heart of a lion. She fights. To get knocked down and jump up and say, "coach I'm all right", to hit the free throws she hit down the stretch, the big three's she hit, and to play defense like she did, I'm so proud of her. She comes off the bench and gives us energy when I'm not getting it from my starters."
ON BENCH PRODUCTION:
"Our bench outscored their's 34-11. It wasn't just Rehema but
Asia Woods was big and so was
Whitley Larry. They all responded off the bench and just shows you we are not a one-man team. We can go deep into our bench and I'm really proud of these ladies.
ON LARRY'S WINNING SHOT:
"The first time we played them they beat us to 50-50 balls. The ball that
Whitley Larry picked up was probably the biggest 50-50 ball of the game. When you're playing these types of games the rest of the season, the intangibles are important and that was just a great hustle play on her part."
ON IMPORTANCE OF THE WIN:
"This win was huge because it is such a one game fight for 5,6,7,8 seeds in the conference, so you can't afford to give up any games at home, especially us because we have 4 games on the road before we come back home. So this game was important, I'm proud of all the ladies and thank you to our fans who willed us to the win."
Up Next
New Orleans travels to Hammond, Louisiana, Wednesday, Feb. 20 to face the Lions of Southeastern Louisiana at 7 p. m.
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