Sports News: Winter 2003-04

Thursday, December 11, 2003

NAISMITH MEMORIAL BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME REQUESTS GAME BALL FROM MORAVIAN COLLEGE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL NCAA RECORD FREE THROW GAME

BETHLEHEM, PA --- The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has requested the game ball from the Moravian College women’s basketball game on Sunday, December 7, 2003 in which the Greyhounds set an all-division NCAA record by making all 35 of their free throw attempts in a 61-53 Commonwealth Conference victory versus Susquehanna University.

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has also asked Moravian to provide a video tape of all 35 made free throws, a game program, a ticket stub and a box score from the game for use at the Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.

The Greyhounds, who are 5-2 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 on February 19, 2003 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.

The top marks for the other divisions were: NCAA Division II - Women - 27 of 27 by St. Cloud State on December 17, 1992 & Men - 31 of 31 by Dowling on February 6, 1985; NCAA Division III - Women - 31 of 32 by St. Mary's (IN) on December 19, 1989, Juniata on January 25, 1993 and St. Benedict on March 5, 1994 & Men - 28 of 28 by Albany on February 19, 1994.

Moravian, which led 33-24 at halftime, had just one player in double figures with freshman guard Katie Rizman (Wall, NJ/St. Rose HS) netting a career high 13 points, however, nine of ten Greyhounds scored at least two points, and all nine were at least two-for-two at the charity stripe. Rizman, who is just 22-for-33 on the season, was 11 for 11 at the foul line in the game. 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 in rebounds. 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. Hughes was four-for-four at the foul line while Seaman was two-for-two.

The Greyhounds’ other free throw shooters included senior forward Tracie Shipman (Philadelphia, PA/Archbishop Ryan HS) and freshman forward Kelly Applegate (Easton, PA/Wilson HS) each going five-for-five and sophomores forward Lindsay Brase (Bethlehem, PA/Notre Dame HS) and guard Nicole Savino (Macungie, PA/Brandywine Heights HS) and freshman forward Jenny Hackleman (Solvang, CA/Rutgers Prep {NJ} HS) each going two-for-two at the foul line.