3.3.2005 2005 Pepsi Conference USA Women's Basketball Tournament - Day One
Christina Quaye |
The first day of the 2005 Pepsi Conference USA Women?s Basketball Tournament in Charlotte, N.C. is in the books. The final game of day saw Marquette post a 78-53 victory over UAB. Christina Quaye scored 20 points to lead a Golden Eagle squad into the quarterfinals against No. 2 seed Louisville. In the first game of the evening, the host 49ers advanced to the quarters with a 63-46 victory over over Cincinnati. Charlotte guard Sakellie Daniels scored 18 of her game-high 22 points in the first half to lead the Niners charge. Charlotte will play Houston on Friday.
Earlier, Nalini Miller and Rachael sheets each scored 14 points and the Bulls defense forced a tournament-record 36 turnovers as USF defeated Southern Miss, 68-47. The Bulls advance to face TCU on Friday. In the opening game of the day, Memphis rallied from a six-point halftime deficit to defeat East Carolina, 76-67. Victoria Crawford led all scorers with 21 points, including 15 during the second-half comeback. The Tigers move on to play top-seeded DePaul.
Conference USA regular season champion DePaul will be the No. 1 seed and will have a first round bye. Other teams receiving first round byes include No. 2 Louisville, No. 3 Houston and No. 4 TCU.
In Friday?s quarterfinal round, No. 1 DePaul will take on Memphis, who beat East Carolina 76-67 in game one of the tournament. No. 4 TCU will face No. 5 USF, who rolled to a 68-47 win over No. 12 Southern Miss, in a match-up beginning at 3:30 p.m. No. 3 seed Houston will take on Charlotte at 6 p.m. after the host school defeated No. 11 Cincinnati 63-46. No. 2 Louisville will close out Friday night against No. 7 Marquette at 8:30 p.m. The Golden Eagles advanced with a 78-53 victory over No. 10 UAB.
DePaul will enter the tournament attempting to become the second straight C-USA school to win the regular season and tournament titles. Houston accomplished the feat last year, which marked the first time a league team had won both since Tulane in 1998-99.
Five Conference USA teams enter the league?s tournament having already won 20 games. No other Division I conference has achieved that feat this season. DePaul has 23 wins and Charlotte has 22, while Louisville, Houston and TCU have each posted 20 victories.
All games will be played at Dale Halton Arena and game times are Eastern.
Saturday?s semifinal games will be televised on the C-USA TV Network. Please check your local listings. The C-USA Championship game on Sunday, March 6, will be broadcasted on ESPN2, beginning at 5 p.m. (EST).
C-USA Women?s Basketball Tournament
Dale Halton Arena; Charlotte, N.C.
Thursday-Sunday, March 3-6.
Thursday, March 3
Game One ? (9) Memphis 76, (8) East Carolina 67
Game Two ? (5) USF 68, (12) Southern Miss 47
Game Three ? (6) Charlotte 63, (11) Cincinnati 46
Game Four ? (7) Marquette 78, (10) UAB 53
Friday, March 4
Game One ? Memphis vs. (1) DePaul 1:00 p.m.
Game Two ? USF vs. (4) TCU 3:30 p.m.
Game Three ? CHA vs. (3) Houston 6:00 p.m.
Game Four ? MAR vs. (2) Louisville 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 5
Game Nine ? Semifinal No. 1 (C-USA TV Network) 2:00 p.m.
Game 10 - Semifinal No. 2 (C-USA TV Network) 4:30 p.m.
Sunday, March 6
Game 11 ? Championship (ESPN2) 5:00 p.m.