George Washington University Athletics
E#1 Temple 64, Xavier 61
3/6/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
March 6, 2005
Atlantic 10 Player of the Year Candice Dupree scored a tournament-high 24 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead E#1 Temple (26-3) to a 64- 61 victory over W#2 Xavier (20-9) in the semifinal round of the A-10 Women's Basketball Championship.
Dupree was 11-of-16 from the field in the contest. Ari Moore and the league's Most Improved Player Kamesha Hairston each added 13 points for the 16th-ranked Owls.
Temple led for most the game but Xavier was able to tie the score at 55 on a free-throw by Tara Boothe. The Owls regained the lead on a three by Jennifer Owens and owned a 62-59 edge with 1:44 to play. A jumper by the Musketeers' Michele Miller brought Xavier within one, 62-61, with 29 seconds to go. After two free throws by Moore, the Owls led by three, 64-61. Miller had two chances to tie the game, but missed two triples in the final 21 seconds.
Adeola Olanrewaju paced Xavier with 17 points and first-team all-league pick Tara Boothe notched a double-double with 15 points and 13 boards.
The Owls will play the winner of the second semifinal between W#1 George Washington and W#3 Richmond on the tournament final at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 7 on ESPN2.
