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Eagles' Woes Continue In Loss to Brown, 61-52
Comeback effort falls short as AU drops third consecutive contest

Senior guard Angel helped spark an AU comeback with two three-pointers late in the second half, but the Eagles could not overcome a 15-point lead and lost to Brown, 61-52, on Friday.

Jan. 2, 2004 | Boxscore

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A valiant comeback effort by the American University women’s basketball team against Brown Friday, from down 15 points with just over 10 minutes remaining, fell short and the Eagles lost, 61-52.

The Eagles jumped out on top of the Bears early, racing out to a 15-point lead at the 6:50 mark of the first half. AU used stifling defense to build its lead, holding Brown scoreless for nearly nine minutes, between 15:17 and 6:30, and forcing 15 first-half turnovers by the Bears. The Eagles also dominated the offensive glass – ripping down 10 offensive rebounds in the first stanza – to build up the 15-point margin.

However, the Bears’ offense awakened in the last seven minutes of the first half and BU went on a 15-5 run to pull within five, 26-21, at the half.

Brown carried that momentum into the second half, holding American scoreless for the first 9:23 of the stanza, while scoring 20 points to pull ahead by 15 on two free throws by Sarah Hayes at the 10:48 mark. Overall, Brown went on a 35-5 run between 6:50 of the first half and 10:48 of the second stanza.

A three-pointer by Angel McNatt (Adelphi, Md./High Point/Montgomery Junior College) at the 10:37 mark helped launch the Eagles’ comeback bid. McNatt hit another trey with 6:39 left to pull AU within 11, and senior guard Kaitlin Schuyler (Baltimore, Md./Mercy) hit one of her three three-pointers on the day to make the score 47-39 with 5:31 left. A steal by Kim Salem (Oakville, Ontario/St. Thomas Aquinas) led to a Chanel Spriggs (Sunderland, Md./Northern) fast-break layup to pull within six, and another layup by Chanel Hunt (Raleigh, N.C./Ravenscroft) got the Eagles with four points at 47-43 with just over three minutes remaining.

However, an offensive rebound and a putback layup by Brown’s Miranda Craigwell halted the Eagles’ run. Brown then iced the game by making six-of-12 free throws in the last three minutes.

American, which falls to 5-5 on the season, was led by Schuyler’s 13 points. Spriggs chipped in 11 points and five steals, while McNatt contributed 10 points off the bench. Freshman center Kimeshia Junkins (Columbus, Ohio/Hilliard Darby), in her first collegiate start, had career-highs with six points and eight boards.

The Eagles return to action on Sunday, Jan. 4, when they host Kent State beginning at 4 p.m.