Sports News: Winter 2003-04

Sunday, December 7, 2003

MORAVIAN COLLEGE WOMEN SET NCAA RECORD IN FREE THROWS IN 61-53 VICTORY OVER SUSQUEHANNA UNIVERSITY

BETHLEHEM, PA --- The Moravian College women’s basketball team set an NCAA record by connecting on all 35 of its free throw attempts led by freshman guard Katie Rizman (Wall, NJ/St. Rose HS), who was 11 for 11, in a 61-53 Commonwealth Conference victory versus Susquehanna University Sunday afternoon.

The game was moved to Sunday afternoon after a snow storm postponed the contest on Saturday.

The Greyhounds, who improve to 4-2 overall and 2-0 in the Commonwealth Conference, were 15 of 15 at the charity stripe in the first half and 20 of 20 in the second half. In fact, Moravian is now 53 of 53 against Susquehanna in its last two games at Johnston Hall. The Greyhounds’ 18-for-18 performance against Susquehanna had been the highest perfect game total in Middle Atlantic Corporation history prior to today’s 35 for 35 performance.

According to the NCAA records, the 35 for 35 performance is the highest total for any level of the NCAA, men or women. The best women’s performance in history was by the University of Kansas with a 31 of 31 performance on February 11, 1996. The top men’s performance was 34 of 34 turned in by UC-Irvine on February 21, 1981 and Samford University on December 20, 1990.

Moravian, which led 33-24 at halftime, had just one player in double figures with Rizman netting a career high 13 points, however, nine of ten Greyhounds scored at least two points. Junior guard Jen Behagg (Hamburg, NJ/Pope John XXIII HS) hit a pair of free throws for two of her six points with one second remaining in the game to finish off the perfect game.

Moravian shot just 22.8 percent from the floor (13 of 57) in the game and led Susquehanna, 47-38 on the boards. Greyhound sophomore Stephanie Seaman (Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem Catholic HS) pulled down a career high 14 rebounds for her fourth straight game in double figures. Seaman also scored eight points, just missing her fourth consecutive double-double. Senior guard Kim Hughes (Manasquan, NJ/St. Rose HS) also scored eight points and was five for five at the charity stripe.

Susquehanna, which falls to 2-3 overall and 0-2 in the Commonwealth Conference, was led by junior center Andrea Carlson, who had a game high 22 points while shooting eight of 12 from the foul line. The Crusaders, who trailed by as many as 11 points in the second half, tied the contest at 49-49 but the Greyhounds made ten free throws in the final five minutes while limiting Susquehanna to four points. Junior center Ang Letcavage added eight points and six rebounds for the Crusaders while freshman guard Nicole Nasser scored eight points.