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Wedneday, December 18, 2002
FIU falls to No. 1 Duke
 he top-ranked Duke women's basketball
team was too much for Florida International as the Blue Devils
handed the Golden Panthers a 106-58 loss Wednesday night at Cameron
Indoor Stadium.
FIU kept pace with the Blue Devils
in the early going. Dace Cinte's jumper with 16:39 remaining
in the first half tied the game at-6 6, but FIU went cold from
the floor and could manage just one basket - a three-pointer
by Ivelina Vrancheva - over the next 8:31.
The Blue Devils entered the locker
room with a 61-23 advantage at halftime, led by Alana Beard's
19 points.
FIU battled back in the second
stanza, cutting into the lead early in the period. Cormisha Cotton
scored 11 of her team-high 15 points in the second half.
But the Blue Devils were too
much for FIU, as the Duke defense continued to overwhelm the
Golden Panthers, forcing FIU into 25 turnovers that resulted
in 47 points for Duke.
Beard and Iciss Tillis led Duke
with 21 points apiece. Six Blue Devils finished with double figures
in scoring.
It was the first time FIU allowed
over 100 points since a 104-89 loss to Southern Mississippi on
Dec. 4, 1994. It was also the most lopsided loss for FIU since
a 113-28 setback to Lamar on January 2, 1980 - an 85-point loss
that remains the biggest in the history of the program. At the
time, Lamar was coached by current FIU coach Cindy Russo.
The Golden Panthers dropped to
6-3 on the year while Duke remained perfect at 9-0.
FIU looks to get back on track
at UNC-Greensboro on Friday at noon in Greensboro, N.C. Duke
will travel to Tulsa, Okla., to face The University of Tulsa
on Friday at 9:00 p.m. EST. |