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American Falls In Overtime to Holy Cross, 84-78
Spriggs sets AU and Patriot League record with 11 steals

January 26, 2003

Chanel Spriggs set an AU and Patriot League record with 11 steals against Holy Cross.

Gameday Central
Holy Cross	84
American	75
Box Score - Overtime
Points: Hunt (AU) 24; Fontana (HC) 26 Rebounds: Werries (AU) 8; Campbell (HC) 16 Assists: Barnes (AU) 6; Placek (HC) 8 Steals: Spriggs (AU) 11; Placek (HC) 3

WASHINGTON — After a remarkable second half comeback to force overtime, the American University women’s basketball team was outlasted by Holy Cross, 84-78. The Eagles fall to 11-7 on the season and 4-1 in Patriot League play as AU is now tied for second in the league with Lehigh. Holy Cross improves to 11-6 and remains perfect in league action at 5-0. Chanel Hunt led the way for the Eagles with 24 points while Chanel Spriggs scored 18 points and set a new AU single-game record with 11 steals while also establishing a new mark for steals in Patriot League play. Her 11 steals tie Spriggs for the NCAA single-game high this season with Teresa McNair of Eastern Kentucky.

Spriggs scored AU’s first five points and a Joanna Barnes bank shot tied the game for the first time at seven. After two consecutive baskets by Hunt knotted the game at 13, the Crusaders went on a 7-0 run. The Eagles responded with a 6-0 run of their own to pull back within one. Towards the end of the half, Holy Cross used a 9-0 run to open a 40-27 lead. Hunt, who finished the first half with 14 points on seven-of-seven shooting, scored two baskets to close the half to pull AU within nine.

Two Maggie Fontana free throws opened an 11-point Holy Cross lead early in the second half. The Eagles used five straight points to pull back within six. Jessica Conte hit one of her three three-pointers to stretch the Crusader advantage back to 10 with just over 10 minutes remaining. AU began its comeback with the deficit at 12 with 7:53 to play. A Katryn Costenbader three-pointer and a basket by Hunt closed the game to seven. Hunt made her 10th straight basket to bring the Eagles within five at 66-61. Three foul shots by Mary Rose Campbell and Sarah Placek kept Holy Cross up by six with 2:01 to play.

The Crusaders would not score the rest of regulation. Spriggs stole the ball and went in for the basket to bring the Eagles within four and Kaitlin Schuyler drove to the basket to cut the Holy Cross lead to 69-67. With 49 seconds remaining, Hunt hit a jumper to tie the game. Jenyce Woodruff was able to draw a charge at the other end of the court, but the Eagles were not able to convert on the offensive end. As time ran down, Schuyler blocked Placek’s last-second attempt to force overtime.

AU struck first in overtime on a Costenbader jumper to claim its first lead of the game. After the Crusaders had grabbed the lead, Hunt made a nice move to drive to the basket to give the Eagles their last lead of the contest at 73-72. A layup by Fontana and a jumper by Katie O’Keefe put Holy Cross up by three. Three more Crusader free throws extended the lead to six, but Schuyler kept the Eagles in the game with a three-pointer at the other end of the court. However, the deficit was too much as Holy Cross made its free throws in the final 30 seconds to hold on for the win.

The Eagles were hurt on the glass as Holy Cross outrebounded AU, 58-39. The Eagles also were only 3-for-24 [.125] from behind the three-point arc and 7-of-18 [.389] from the free-throw line. Maria Werries led AU in rebounding, tying her career-high with eight. Costenbader (13 points) and Schuyler (10) joined Hunt and Spriggs in double-figures.

American returns to Patriot League next Friday at Lafayette. Tip-off is at 5:30 p.m.