Feb. 9, 2008

Final Stats

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Charlotte survived a furious 26-8 Brown and White run in the final 5:50 of regulation to post a narrow 60-58 victory over the St. Bonaventure women's basketball team on Saturday evening at Halton Arena.

Despite the spirited Bona effort down the stretch, the Bonnies dropped their third straight contest and fourth road game in their last five attempts to fall to 15-9 (3-6) on the season. Charlotte notched its first win after losses in three of its last four contests to improve to 15-10 (6-3) in head coach Karen Astons first season in charge.

Sophomore Dana Mitchell tallied her 25th straight game in double digits dating back to last season to lead all scorers with 18 points, 14 coming in the second session. The Fairless Hills, Pa. product finished one rebound shy of her sixth double-double of the year with nine caroms to go along with three steals, two assists and one block.

Senior Megan Ellis tallied all 12 of her career-high points in the final 4:20 span to spark the thrilling Bona comeback effort, while junior Tiara Johnson posted her second straight double figure performance with 10 points and five assists on the night.

The Bonnies were dominated in the paint for most of the night as Charlotte scored 38 of its 60 points in the paint, while owning a 37-27 advantage on the glass.

After tallying just 32 points in the first 34 minutes of play, the Brown and White exploded for 26 points in the final 5:50 stretch to nearly pull off an improbable comeback win.

Trailing by 20 points with just 6:40 remaining in regulation, the Bonnies received a pair of baskets from Mitchell and junior Katelyn Murray with a lay up from junior Wendy Stywalt in between to slice a single field goal off the Charlotte lead. Murray's jumper was the first two of 14 straight points for the Brown and White to cut an 18-point deficit to just six with 1:11 on the clock.

Ellis started her phenomenal performance over the next three-plus minutes on the next possession to start a personal 10-0 run. The fourth-year guard drained just her second and third career three-pointers during the run to spark the turnaround attempt. She also started her spurt with a slashing basket in the paint and a pair of free throws at the line.

Mitchell accounted for the next four Bona points coupled with an Ellis offensive rebound put-back to trim the lead to four points with 25 seconds showing on the clock.

Junior Traci Ray converted on two free throws to push the 49er lead back to six, but Johnson connected on one of two Bonnie triples in the final 17 seconds to make it a one possession game at 58-55. Following the three, Charlotte beat the Bona press and found Stywalt all by herself for a wide open lay up with nine seconds left to regain a five-point advantage.

Mitchell quickly knocked down a deep triple from approximately 25 feet to pull the Brown and White within two points, but time ran out on the Bonnies as all the 49ers had to do was inbound the ball to seal the win with one second left. However, even Charlotte's inbounds pass was an adventure as Murray nearly intercepted the pass with 0.7 seconds left.

The Bonnies initiated the second stanza with seven straight points on their first three possessions to slice the 49ers' halftime lead to just five at 32-27 just over two minutes into the final frame.

Mitchell started the scoring after receiving a pass while cutting down the lane to put her in position for an east lay up at the goal.

Sophomore Andrea Doneth followed with a quick lay up the next time down the floor prior to Mitchell's fifth three-pointer of the year that rattled around the rim before falling through the net.

However, the Bona offense turned cold over the next five-plus minute span by missing its next seven field goal attempts. Charlotte tallied eight straight points during the Bonnies' dry spell to stretch its lead to 40-27 with 12:48 remaining in regulation. Ray and senior Whitney Hoey each drained a trifecta to aid the 49er spurt.

Junior Erica Schiefen would bring the Bonnies within 10 points at the 11:31 mark by draining a baseline jumper coupled with her second three-pointer on consecutive trips down the floor.

After it seemed the Bonnies were clawing back into contention, Charlotte retaliated with 10 tallies in a row to double its advantage at 52-32 with 6:40 left. Freshman Shannon McCallum capped the stretch with her team's final six points with a 4-for-4 performance at the stripe and a wide open lay up off a steal in the Bona backcourt.

Charlotte connected on a scorching 51.7 percent (15-for-29) from the floor with 26 points in the paint to enter intermission with a 32-20 advantage at halftime. With a 12-point disadvantage at the break, the Brown and White trailed heading into the final 20 minutes of play for the fourth straight game and ninth time in 2007-08. The Bonnies' 20 points at half was the club's third lowest offensive output in the first session this season.

Ten first half miscues also plagued the Brown and White early, leading to 12 points off turnovers for the 49ers for the home club.

The 49ers raced out of the opening tip with the game's first eight points off four simple baskets in the paint to take an early 8-0 lead in the opening two minutes of action. Charlotte continued its hot start from the field by connecting on 5-for-5 field goals to start the game, while forcing the Bonnies into three early turnovers leading to six points.

However, the Brown and White battled back with three-pointers on consecutive possessions from classmates Schiefen and Murray to pull within four points at 10-6 with 16:49 showing on the scoreboard.

Charlotte extended the lead back to eight points on a pair of lay ins at the goal prior to three straight points from the Bonnies to pull within five. Mitchell tallied her first points of the night on a short jumper followed by a single free throw from Doneth at the stripe to make the count 14-9 with under six minutes in.

Following the Brown and White's mini-run, the 49ers registered a 12-5 spurt to gain their first double digit lead of the half at 26-14 with 9:24 remaining in the first frame. Four different members of the 49ers contributed during the stretch with 10 of the 12 points scored inside the paint.

Johnson was the only Bona player to light up the scoreboard throughout the home side's spurt with a nifty step through lay up and her second triple of the season. The Bonnies failed to come within six points of Charlotte during the 4:31 span.

After trimming the Charlotte advantage to eight points on back-to-back jumpers from Johnson and Murray, the 49ers tallied six of the half's final eight points to take a 32-20 edge into the locker room. Hoey pushed her club to their largest lead of the half at 14 points thanks to a pair of pull-up jumpers in the final two minutes of play before Mitchell corralled an offensive rebound and put-back to bring the Bonnies deficit to 12 with under a minute remaining.

The Brown and White will remain on the road for the second straight contest when it travels to Pittsbugh to take on Duquesne Wednesday, Feb. 9 at 7:00 p.m.