Printer-Friendly Format

  E-mail this article

Jan. 11, 2002

Final Stats

TAMPA, Fla. - Marquette's defense held Conference USA's leading scoring team to 54 points and a 31.7 shooting percentage as the Golden Eagles (8-7, 1-1 C-USA) defeated South Florida (11-4, 1-1 C-USA), 70-54 at the Sun Dome in Tampa.

At times, it looked like the Golden Eagles were the conference's highest scoring team, hitting 52.1 percent on the evening. Marquette hit the 70 point mark for the third time this season.

Four Golden Eagles were in double figures in scoring of the game. Sophomore guard Kelly Schwerman (Waukesha, Wis.) led the team in scoring with 15 points. Freshman guard Katie Alsdurf (Forest Lake, Minn.) led the team in scoring with 14 points. Junior guard Rashida Gales (Burnsville, Minn.) added 11 and junior center Rachel Klug (Cedar Grove, Wis.) scored 10. Aiya Shepard did her part to keep South Florida close, scoring a team high 14 points.

"We really have been emphasizing the offensive end and we showed that tonight as we were not tentative with our shots," head coach Terri Mitchell said. "I feel we are a team that can put up more points and this is a good first step."

Marquette built on its double digit lead earned in the fist half. The Golden Eagles led by as many as 18 in its first C-USA win of the season. The Golden Eagles defense kept the Bulls from making much of a second half run. The closest USF got in the second half was 11 points after Shepard scored four quick points on two possessions to close the gap.

"South Florida came in scoring 80 points per game and putting up 34 threes per game," Mitchell said. "We took a lot of pride in getting back on defense. They had a lot of confidence coming in and playing on their home court. I'm really proud of the way we played on defense tonight."

The Golden Eagles went into the half, leading 39-25. Marquette put up its third highest scoring first half of the season, thanks in part two to separate runs and a 55.2 percent shooting performance.

"Marquette does a great job on defense and when you don't have a real inside presence, it's easy for them to matchup on your guards." said USF head coach Jose Fernandez. "They are a very good team, they've played an impressive schedule and there's nothing to hang our heads about, We got beat by a very good team tonight."

MU and South Florida were trading leads early in the contest until Gales scored eight unanswered points over a period of 1:10. Marquette took the lead in the half for good at that point as Gales' points were good to push Marquette up to an 18-15 lead with 10:35 left in the first half.

The Golden Eagles closed out the half on an 11-0 run to extend its lead to the 14 point halftime margin. Schwerman had a pair of three-point plays in a row - one on a dribble-drive and foul and the other on a shot from behind the arc - as part of MU's flurry to end the half. MU's defense also held in the end-of-half run, forcing 11 turnovers in the half and holding USF to a 30.8 percentage in the first 20 minutes.

Gales and Schwerman each had 10 by the break. Alsdurf had eight points at the half.

Marquette returns to action with another Conference USA road contest against UAB. The Golden Eagles and Blazers play on Sunday, Jan. 13 at 2 o,n, at Bartow Arena. That game is set to air on WLMW-Ch. 41 in Milwaukee.