Nov. 22, 2002

Box Score

(San Francisco) - Junior guard Merisa Leatherman came off the bench for a game-high 16 points, including a pair of rally-killing 3-pointers as USF seized a 57-46 non-conference women's basketball victory against Nevada-Reno Friday at War Memorial Gym. USF (1-1) won its home opener and avenged a tough, last second loss against the Wolf Pack (0-1) last season in Reno.

San Francisco looked like they might pull away early, converting on .483 (14-29) from the floor in the first half, to take a seemingly comfortable 32-18 halftime lead. Nevada-Reno stormed back to open up the second half and went on a 21-10 run following intermission.

Once the Lady Dons lead was cut to five, 43-38 at the 9:13 mark on a Wolf Pack 3-pointer by Ashley Bankston, USF responded. Leatherman hit a free throw, senior guard Lisa Whiteside converted a 3-point play, scoring a driving lay-up in traffic and made the free throw after the foul to build the lead back to nine points, 47-38 with 7:49 remaining. Another lay-up off an offensive board by junior center Mary Jane Krueger put USF up 11, 51-40 with 6:01 left and the Lady Dons would hold a double-digit lead for the remainder of the contest.

Krueger was a force for San Francisco on the boards, pulling down a game-high 13 rebounds, 10 of those in the first half to go along with seven points and a pair of blocked shots. USF held a huge 44-35 rebound advantage over the Wolf Pack.

Senior forward Lisa Whiteside scored 13 points and pulled down seven rebounds for the Lady Dons, while junior forward Carey Sauer also pulled down seven boards to go along with seven points. Sophomore guard Toni Russell scored nine points, pulled down four rebounds, dished out five assists and added three steals.

Senior center Kate Smith scored a team-high 15 points and added seven rebounds for Nevada-Reno and was the only Wolf Pack player in double-digit scoring. Sophomore guard Laura Ingham added nine points and six rebounds.

USF returns to action when they host #6 Stanford Sunday, November 24. Game time is scheduled for 2:00 PM at War Memorial Gym.