WKU plagued by poor free throw shooting in loss at Northwestern
November 16, 2011
Northwestern gave WKU plenty of second-half chances
to get back in the game on Tuesday night.
The Lady Toppers, who shot 75 percent on free throws
in their season opener against Towson, were sent to the foul line
19 times in the second half by the Wildcats.
But WKU converted on just seven of those attempts and
lost 71-57 in its road opener.
โWhen I say control the things we can control, I feel
free throw shooting is something we can control,โ Head Coach Mary
Taylor Cowles told WKUโs Big Red Radio Network following the game.
โThose are automatic points that weโve got to be able to count
on.โ
The Lady Toppersโ worst free throw-shooting stretch
came in the final minutes of the game.
Northwestern led 66-50 when senior forward Keisha
Mosley missed a foul shot on a three-point play attempt.
Less than a minute later, senior forward Teranie
Thomas made the second of two free throws, but then missed a pair
that wouldโve cut the Wildcat lead to 12 if made.
Freshman forward Chasity Gooch then missed two free
throws soon after.
โWe shoot 84 percent in our exhibition game (a Nov. 6
win over Kentucky Wesleyan), we shoot 75 percent Saturday in that
game and we just fell apart at the free throw line tonight,โ Cowles
said.
The Lady Toppers were also plagued by a slow start
that saw Northwestern jump out to a 12-2 lead.
WKU eventually cut the deficit to five, at 30-25, but
that was the closest it would get for the rest of the game.
A 6-0 run in the final minute of the first half,
accompanied by two Lady Topper turnovers, sent Northwestern to the
locker room with a 36-25 lead.
โThat hurt us, but it hurt us in a momentum-shift
sort of situation,โ Cowles said. โWe go in at halftime down 11, as
opposed to five, or opposed to three, or opposed to maybe even twoโฆ
Weโve got to get better at that kind of situation.โ
The Wildcats came out of the break with a Danielle
Diamant jumper and a Karly Roser fastbreak layup, and led
comfortably for the remainder of the game.
Cowles attributed much of the Lady Toppersโ struggles
to Northwesternโs size.
No one in the Wildcatsโ starting lineup was shorter
than 5-foot-10, and saw two 6-foot-5 players, (Diamant and Alex
Cohen) play significant minutes.
โPosition by position, this will probably be the
biggest, most physical team that we will play this year,โ Cowles
said. โThey are extremely strong and powerful at every
position.โ
Forward Kendall Hackney led Northwestern with 17
points and six rebounds, while Diamant added 15 points and nine
boards.
For the Lady Toppers, senior forward LaTeira Owens
led the way with 13 points and nine rebounds.
Freshman guard Alexis Govan added 11 points, five
assists and four steals in her first start.
But Govan also had five of WKUโs 21 turnovers.
Cowles said her teamโs giveaways cost her team
several potential scoring chances.
โTwenty-one turnovers โ we cannot put ourselves in
that position,โ Cowles said. โOur goal is 15 or less, is what we
would like to have per game. You take six turnovers away tonight,
and give ourselves an opportunity to score, once again it could be
a difference in the ballgame.โ
The Lady Toppersโ next game is a 2 p.m. Sunday
against No. 8 Duke in Diddle Arena.
โWhat weโre excited about is another opportunity back
home in Diddle,โ Cowles said. โWe know our fans will be there.
Itโll be another great Sunday afternoon ballgame.โ