Tigers Score a Season High 95 Points in Win over Griffins
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Nov. 28, 2009) - Oxy stepped on the floor a day after Thanksgiving and put on another offensive display against the visiting Fontbonne Griffins. Scoring a season high 95 points on 51.5% shooting from the field, and as a team they handed out an astounding 27 assists on their 35 baskets. Fontbonne was coming off a year where they finished 2nd in the SLIAC before falling in the conference tournament championship game, so the Tigers knew they would have to play their best and every member of the team was up to the challenge.
The first half was tight throughout, with the most exciting exchange coming at the 10 minute mark, as the Griffins hit back to back bombs to tie the score at 16. All the momentum swinging back to the visitors, but then Samantha Rossi stymied that shift with back to back to back three pointers, but for every Rossi three the St. Louis squad was able to answer with a score of their own. But then the depth of the Tigers started to wear down the visitors, as Oxy continued the offensive onslaught with fresh legs and put up another 21 points in the final 7:07, while the Griffins could only muster 10. Although they shot 53.8% from the field and 75% behind the arc, the Oxy defense forced them in to 17 turnovers which resulted in 11 more attempts from the field, which helped the Tigers go into the locker room with a 50-38 lead.
The 20-11 run in the final 7:07 of the first half continued into the second, as the Tigers roared out of the locker room on an 18-8 run in the first five minutes, and they then rode that 19 point lead to a convincing 95-74 victory. The 95 points increased their season scoring average to 86 per game, as Oxy won their third game of the young season.
Rossi led all scorers with an efficient 17 points on 6 of 7 shooting, while Makenzie Brandon had another monster game with 15 points and, a game high, 7 rebounds. Britinee Yasukochi dished out 5 assists to go along with 10 points but post player Stephanie Babij had a game high 7 assists with 13 points in the paint, a testament to the Tigers finding the open man all night through post entries that forced Fontbonne to double down, and then kicking it out to wide open shooters. The defense was anchored by Dior Williams who led everyone with 3 steals and poured in 10 points.
Next up for the Tigers (3-1) is a 5pm game Thursday, December 3rd at Whittier College, as part of the Tiger Poet Classic.
