March 3, 2010

VCU HOLDS ON FOR 69-66 VICTORY AT NORTHEASTERN IN REGULAR SEASON FINALE
Box Score

BOSTON, Mass. – Senior forward D’Andra Moss scored a game-high 23 points and classmate Kita Waller contributed 20 as Virginia Commonwealth University held on for a 69-66 victory against Northeastern and secured the No. 3 seed in next week’s Colonial Athletic Association tournament.

Northeastern held VCU scoreless for nearly five minutes and scored 15 consecutive points to pull within 65-64 with 1:16 remaining.

The Huskies forced a VCU turnover near midcourt with eight seconds to go but sophomore guard Jamie Conroy threw an arrant pass under the basket and the Rams regained possession with 1.4 seconds to go.  Moss hit a pair of free throws with 0.1 seconds remaining to give the Rams the victory.

VCU snaps a two-game losing skid and improves its record to 19-11 overall and 12-6 in CAA play, while Northeastern drops to 12-17, 7-11 in conference action.

VCU sophomore forward Courtney Hurt posted her third-straight and 10th double-double of the year with 15 points and 11 rebounds.

Northeastern senior forward Kendra Walton also contributed a double-double with a team-high 15 points and 10 boards.  Senior forward Kim Carr added 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting and freshman forward Rachel Pecota chipped in 12 points off the bench for the Huskies.

Neither team led by more than four points through the first eight minutes of the contest as VCU took a 17-15 lead on a 3-pointer by Moss with 11:49 showing.

Moss’ basket sparked a 26-7 VCU run spanning nearly 10 minutes and the Rams took a 40-22 lead on a pair of Waller free throws with 1:22 left before the break.

The duo of Moss and Waller combined to score 32 of the Black & Gold’s first 40 points.  Moss shot 7-of-10 from the field, including 5-of-6 from behind the arc to lead all scorers with 19 first half points, while Waller contributed 13 on a perfect 4-of-4 shooting.

VCU hit 8-of-15 from long range in the opening period, while Northeastern could manage just 1-of-16.  

The Black & Gold turned the ball over on consecutive possessions to start the second half and Northeastern scored 12 of the first 17 points and pulled within 45-34 on jumper by Carr with 15:29 remaining.

Northeastern capped off 22-10 run and pulled within 50-44 on a 3-pointer by Walton with 11:24 remaining.

Hurt put-back Waller’s missed free throw and hit a 3-pointer on the following possession and VCU went back ahead 62-47 with 6:41 left before Northeastern began its surge.