Dec. 14, 2002

Box Score

(Fresno) - USF led by as many as 15 points in the first half, and as many as 11 in the second, but could not secure the win, falling 61-57 to Fresno State in non-conference women's basketball action Saturday in the North Gym. The Lady Dons (2-6) drop their fourth straight game, while the Bulldogs (4-3) avenge a 69-67 loss suffered in San Francisco last season.

For the third straight game, San Francisco looked to be in control early and sprinted out to a 7-0 lead before Fresno State got on the board. USF took their biggest lead of the contest at 15, on a 3-pointer by junior forward Carey Sauer with 7:42 remaining to make the score 25-10. From their the Bulldogs roared back on a 15-6 run to cut the lead to six, 31-25 at intermission.

USF led by 11 twice and held a 10-point lead with 10:55 remaining on a 3-pointer by freshman guard Joy Hollingsworth. From there it was all Bulldogs as they exploded on a 9-0 run to tie the game at the 7:34 mark. Fresno State took their first lead of the game on a lay-up Omelogo Udeze. Sophomore forward Angela Gibson hit a baby hook at 4:37 to give the Lady Dons what would turn out to be their last lead at 4:37, 53-51.

San Francisco shut down the Bulldogs' leading scorer Lindsay Logan, limiting her to one free throw, but enjoyed no success against their post players, who accounted for 38 points. With the win, Fresno State beat USF for the first time since the 19878-88 campaign, snapping a three-game losing skid against the Lady Dons.

Fresno State, under first-year head coach Stacy Johnson-Klein, gave USF fits with a swarming press that keyed their second half rally.

Sauer finished with a team-high 12 for the Lady Dons, while Hollingsworth added 11. Junior center Mary Jane Krueger added eight points and pulled down a team-high 14 rebounds. Udeze finished with a team-high 17 points to go along with 13 rebounds off the Bulldog bench, while Tiffany Simon added 16 points.

USF returns to action when they host the Golden Eagles of Southern Mississippi on Tuesday, Dec. 17. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 PM at War Memorial Gym. The Lady Dons then play their next eight games on the road.