Box Score

DALLAS, Texas – The Hampton University women's basketball team finished fourth in the 2009 Southern Methodist University Hoops For the Cure Tournament, falling in the consolation game 66-54 to Fresno State on Saturday at Moody Coliseum.

Fresno State used a 19-8 run to open the second half and break a 30-30 tie, capping it off with a 3-pointer from Jaleesa Ross with 11:08 to play to give the Bulldogs a 49-38 lead. Emma Andrews hit a jumper with 9:25 left to give Fresno State a 53-40 lead, the Bulldogs' largest of the night, but Hampton would close within seven on the strength of a 10-4 spurt; when Quanneisha Perry (Decatur, Ga.) hit a pair of free throws with 5:06 to play, the Bulldogs' lead was just 57-50.

Fresno State would close the game on a 9-4 run, as the Lady Pirates would only make one field goal in the game's final five minutes.

Junior Laura Lewis (Dallas, Texas) led three Lady Pirates in double figures, tying her career high with 18 points on 7-for-16 shooting and making all four of her free throws. Perry and Bernadette Fortune (Virginia Beach, Va.) each added 14 points for the Lady Pirates (2-3), while Perry also pulled down a team-high eight rebounds.

Ross led the Bulldogs with 21 points on 7-for-15 shooting, going 6-for-14 from behind the arc. LaShay Fears added 13 points, while Rosie Moult led Fresno State (3-3) with nine rebounds.

The Bulldogs shot 48.0 percent (24-for-50) from the floor and 8-for-24 (33.3 percent) from 3-point range, while the Lady Pirates shot 39.7 percent (23-for-58) from the floor and missed all eight of their 3-point attempts.

Fresno State out-rebounded Hampton 35-32, though the Lady Pirates did force the Bulldogs into 18 turnovers, scoring 18 points off of them. Hampton also held an 18-14 advantage in bench points, thanks in large part to Fortune's play.

The Lady Pirates took a 16-10 lead with 10:31 to go in the first half on a Melanie Warner (Tallahassee, Fla.) layup, which capped off an 8-0 run, but Fresno State closed the half on a 20-14 surge to tie the game at 30 heading into the intermission.

Lewis scored 12 of her 18 points in the first half, while Ross also scored 12 in the first 20 minutes of action. Hampton shot 48.3 percent (14-for-29) in the first half, while Fresno State shot 45.8 percent (11-for-24) in the first half and went 6-for-16 (37.5 percent) from 3-point range.

The Lady Pirates forced 11 Fresno State turnovers in the first half.

The Lady Pirates will return to action on Saturday, when they travel to Washington, D.C. to open Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) play against Howard at 6 p.m. For more information on Hampton University basketball, please call the Office of Sports Information on (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.