By Staff
Feb. 18, 2001
By Fredie Carmichael
Special to The Star
The Meridian Community College Lady Eagles stepped out of conference play Saturday afternoon to face a Southern Union ballclub that had beaten them earlier in the year.
Coach Hilary Allen knew that his Lady Eagles would have their hands full in the post due to the Lady Bison's size advantage down low. Southern Union used that size to slip past the Lady Eagles by a point in a game at their place earlier this year.
But Saturday, the Lady Eagles got redemption in a 75-74 win that improved MCC to 22-4 on the season.
Camilla Walker hit two long-range jumpers in the game's first 90 seconds and Southern Union held an early 6-5 lead. MCC's Teasha McFarland cut to the basket and made an off-balanced one-hander to give the Lady Eagles the 7-6 edge with 16:52 left in the first half.
Angela Bullock got into the action moments later when she picked off a pass and nailed a fast break trey to put MCC on top 10-6.
Southern Union tied it up at 15-15 with 13:54 left in the half as Kim Butler made a nice pass inside to a waiting Susan Young, who made the easy lay-in. MCC's Tommie Walden hit back-to-back 3s and the Lady Eagles were up 21-15.
After the Lady Bison tied it at 21-21, MCC used a 12-2 run to go up 33-23 with 5:21 left in the half. MCC got some big baskets from the outside and Southern Union continued to pound it in the paint and the Lady Eagle enjoyed a 45-36 halftime lead.
Amina McGhee began to counter the double-teaming of the post players as she heated up from the outside for the Lady Bison.
Her 3 with 11:21 to play had Southern Union within 53-52. MCC's Bullock answered seconds later when she stepped up and popped a triple of her own to put the Lady Eagles back on top by four.
Southern Union didn't go away as Young tipped in a missed shot to knot it at 61-all with 7:48 to play. Again Bullock answered, as she sized up her defender and drilled a 3-point bomb that ignited the crowd and put the Lady Eagles up 66-61.
The Lady Bison tried to make a push at the end as Nadia Swanigan's inside bucket cut it to 70-69 with 2:39 left. Bullock and the Lady Eagles tried desperately to shut the door when she lost her defender and knocked down a 12-foot jumper before scoring on MCC's patented alley-oop play for a six-point lead with 1:15 to play.
McGhee put her foot in the door as she reeled off five quick points and Southern Union was back to within 75-74 with 23 ticks left.
The Lady Bison were unable to hit a shot at the end and MCC's Walden intentionally missed the front end of a one-and-one with 1.1 seconds remaining so the clock could expire.
Bullock led the way for the Lady Eagles with a game-high 24 points and Walden had 20. Young's 19-point outing paced the Lady Bison.
MCC returns to action Wednesday with a Miss-Lou Conference game against Delgado. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m., in the Ivy Sports Center.