Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
Long Beach State
Women's Basketball Blasts Long Beach State, 93-61
December 12, 1999 | Cowgirl Basketball
Dec. 12, 1999
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma State's Jennifer Crow scored a career-high 28 points and junior Tari Cummings added 23 as the Cowgirls defeated Long Beach State, 93-61, here Sunday afternoon in The Myriad.
Crow scored her 28 points on 9-of-19 shooting from the floor, including 5-of-7 from three-point range. She was also 5-of-5 from the free-throw line. Cummings was 10-of-21 from the floor, and pulled down 10 rebounds for her third-straight double-double game.
The 49ers took an early 10-0 lead just 2-1/2 minutes into the game as 6-8 center Rhonda Smith scored the first four points of the game. OSU took a timeout, and went on a 12-2 run over the next three minutes to tie the game at 12-12.
The Cowgirls trailed only once more in the game, when two free throws by Kesha Wade put LBSU up, 22-21. OSU took the lead once again with 7:26 remaining on a three-pointer by freshman Chantoya Hawkins, and built up a 14-point lead entering the lockerroom.
"Excluding the first two minutes, that may have been as well as we've played this season," said OSU Head Coach Dick Halterman. "There are a lot of things you need to look at. One is that we pushed the ball and did things in transition better than we have all year long. That should be a strength of this team."
The Cowgirls scored 13 points off the fast break, compared to just four for Long Beach State. OSU also scored 40 points off 26 49er turnovers, compared to just nine points scored off of 10 Oklahoma State turnovers.
OSU also played well on defense, allowing LBSU to connect on just 21-of-57 shots from the floor, or 36.8 percent. The most important aspect of the defense, however, was shutting down the 6-8 Smith.
"Devon (Magness) and (Jessica) Bates came off the bench and did a good job on the big kid (Smith)," said Halterman. "She's a pretty good player, and she's somebody you've got to key on all the time."
Smith, who averages 22.2 points per game, was held to just 15 points, and only four in the second half.
The Cowgirls (5-3) will play in the first round of the Seattle Times Classic in Seattle, Wash., on Saturday, Dec. 18, vs. Portland (4-5).
