|
Freeman scores 20 as Aggies beat UCI, improve to 10-7
By Jerome Le Carrou
January 27, 2005 | Jessica Freeman
led the Aggies with a career-high 20 points in
a 71-68 victory Thursday night in the Spectrum
against the UC Irvine Anteaters.
The Aggies improved to 10-7 on the season and
5-3 in conference play. The Aggies have now as
many games as they won all of last year.
UC Irvine is the lowest-ranked
team of the Big West Conference and was seeking
its first victory on the road this season. They
came with seven players, and senior Ashley Biggins
stayed on the bench injured.
The Aggies opened with a 9-2
run, but the Anteaters played hard and stayed
close during the first half. Freeman, a forward,
scored 16 points in the first half while Anteaters
guard Angie Ned replied with 17 points.
Freeman scored a layup just
before the end of the half, enabling the Aggies
to go to the locker room with a 38-32 lead.
"Jessica had a great first half with 16 points,
we needed her presence on the inside ," said
Aggies coach Raegan Pebley.
|
ON HER
WAY TO 20: Jessica Freeman practices her
shot
before the UCI game. / Photo by Josh Russell |
"But I have to say that Anteaters guard Angie
Ned is a really good player. She plays very good defense,"
The Anteaters had a 5-0 run to start the second half,
and the Aggies were unable to get any rebounds.
"We were killed on that second half, during the
timeout I told the girls that they had to rebound, and
fortunately we had the important ones at the end of
the game," Pebley said.
For the first time of the game the Aggies were behind
42-43, and then 48-52 with 09:35 remaining.
The Aggies had to play under pressure to come back as
a lost at home against a low-ranked team would not have
been easy to manage for the Aggies.
"I definitely like playing under pressure ,"
said Freeman.
The team knows also how to stay confident during these
moments, especially Aggies point guard Brox.
"Camilla played hard and brought the great leadership
at the time we needed it ," Pebley said.
The Aggies led 55-54 after a lay-up by freeman with
06:41 remaining and finally took the lead for good.
The score was close until the end but Taylor Richard,
who had 14 points, scored her last free throw with 10
seconds remaining and put an end to the suspense. UC
Irvine could be disappointed after the game as they
played hard especially Ned who had 30 points and eight
rebounds followed by Lauren Yadon who had 17 points.
The Aggies were pleased by the win but not by the way
they played, "We didn't come out as strong as we
should have," said Brox.
Pebley said, "This is an ugly win but at the end
of the season what will count is the number of wins ."
A very different kind of game is waiting for the Aggies
Saturday night in the Spectrum as they will face Big
West- leading Long Beach.
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT:
The Aggies practice layups before the game. / Photo
by Josh Russell
JLC
JLC
|
