Saturday, February 13, 2010

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – With emotions riding high inside the ETSU/MSHA Athletic Center, the Lady Bucs were able to overcome a sluggish start and secure the top seed in next month’s Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament with an 81-63 victory over Kennesaw State on Saturday afternoon.
 

ETSU, who joined arms with the WBCA for its annual Pink Zone game for breast cancer awareness, dedicated the game to former Lady Buccaneer post player Jenny Norman’s (Peachtree City, Ga.) mother Lynn – who passed away this past December from the deadly disease. In honor of Norman, the Peachtree City, Ga. native was an honorary coach and received a special pink and white ball and flowers prior to the tip.
 

“I think we really came out with a little too much emotion today,” commented senior guard/forward TaRonda Wiles (Danville, Va.), who scored 17 points, grabbed five rebounds, forced three steals and blocked two shots. “This was a special day for Jenny and we really wanted to win this game for her.”
 

The Lady Bucs did just that, as ETSU posted its 10th consecutive home win and improved to 16-8, 14-2 in conference play. Kennesaw State saw its three-game winning streak come to an end and the Owls dropped to 8-17, 5-11.
 

Wiles was one of three Lady Buccaneer players to score in double figures, as junior point guard Tarita Gordon (Wichita, Kan.) netted a team-high 18 points and finished a perfect 6-of-6 at the free throw line. Joining Wiles and Gordon was freshman post Ashley Benedict (Rome, Ohio) – who shot 6-for-7 from the field to finish with 13 points and a career-high four blocks in 23 minutes off the bench.