Urbana Tops Mount Vernon By One
Byrd Hits Game-Winner
URBANA, Oh (Feb. 16, 2008)—The Urbana University women’s basketball team found themselves down for most of the game against the visiting Mount Vernon Nazarene Cougars but fought hard in the second half to come away with a 57-56 AMC victory.

The first half saw neither team up by more than four points as they went to the locker room at the half with the Cougars leading by 23-22.  After a basket by the Blue Knight’s Tia Simms to open the second half, Mount Vernon went on ten point run before another jumper by Simms. Urbana tied it up only to drop the lead again to the Cougars, once again finding themselves down by 7. 

Mount Vernon held the lead almost all of the second half until inside the last two minutes when Urbana tied it up on a Haley Fannon three-pointer and took the lead on a layup by Enisia Curry.  The Cougars tied it back up on a layup by Rachel Fiely and was fouled and converted the three-point play to give her team the one point advantage with 27 second remaing. The Blue Knights charged their end of the floor and freshman Jessica Byrd hit what would be the game-winning shot with 11 seconds left to play.  The Blue Knight defense played smart and MVNU couldn’t get a shot off.

Simms led all scorers with 24 points. She also had five rebounds and four steals. Fannon added nine points and Byrd and Sarah Branham had eight. Megan Mummey led all rebounders with 10.  For the Cougars, Rachel Fiely had 19 points and Amanda Himes posted 12 points with seven rebounds.

The win moves Urbana to 15-9 overall, 6-6 in the AMC south division.  Urbana will host Walsh on Tuesday, February 19 before traveling to Shawnee State University to take on the #8-ranked Bears on Saturday, February 23 to finish out the regular season.

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