Jan. 22, 2008

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DAYTON, Ohio - The University of Dayton women's basketball team (16-4, 2-2) picked up its fourth loss of the season in a 64-51 decision to Atlantic 10 Conference leader Charlotte (13-7, 4-0) on Wednesday evening at UD Arena.

The Flyers were led by senior Nikki Oakland who netted 15 of Dayton's points. She was joined in double figures by freshman Kristin Daugherty who also had 12 points on the night.

Daugherty and Oakland also led on the boards grabbing seven and six rebounds, respectively, but Dayton was still out-rebounded 44-31 by the 49ers who also had a commanding lead on second chance points 17-6.

Charlotte held UD to just 36.2 percent from the field and just 2-of-16 from beyond the arc.

Traci Ray added 21 points for Charlotte, while Erin Floyd picked up 10 of her own. Floyd also tallied a game-high nine rebounds.

It was a see-saw battle from the tip-off. Early in the game Daugherty hit a jump shot to get things started for the Flyers.

Charlotte quickly answered with a three-pointer from Ray. UD answered back with a bucket from Karah Cloxton on the next possession, 4-3.

Charlotte's Ray pushed it down court for her second time in the game and moments later a layup from Sabrina Gregory gave the team a 7-4 advantage.

Gregory's play was short lived after she fouled Cloxton on the Flyers' next possession. Cloxton hit the bucket and her foul shot to knot the score at seven.

With 15:58 left in the first half, Charlotte's Erin Floyd dropped a jump shot from the inside to inch ahead of the Flyers. Dayton fired back with an offensive inbound pass to Oakland who was able to work her magic down low for two points.

The 49ers were once again quick to answer UD's pressure with a fast-break layup from Danielle Burgin. Burgin made it a three point play after a Flyer foul on the shot.

UD's Ashley Armstrong struck back in a big way dropping a jump shot in from the paint to pull the Flyers within one point of the lead, 12-11.

Dayton finally regained the lead on a Kendel Ross layup 15-14. Burgin pulled the 49ers ahead with two points in the paint. After a few more points were traded, the Flyers were able to put some distance between the two teams when Kathy Guinn hit a three pointer from long range giving UD a four point lead 22-18.

Burgin and the 49ers chipped away at the four point deficit with a bucket from the inside. A three pointer from beyond the arc by Jabrenta Hubbard closed the gap the rest of the way for Charlotte, also drawing the foul on the play, 24-22 with 8:17 in the first half.

Oakland tried to kick start the offense with a layup out of the media timeout. With the added spark and another Ross bucket the Flyers propelled ahead for the fifth time in the game.

After a minute and a half ticked by without any offense from either side, Cloxton gave the Flyers their second lead.

Snapping its own offensive lull mere moments later was Shannon McCallum who pulled the 49ers within two points, 28-26. Ray hit another jump shot to knot the game up at 28.

With just over three minutes remaining in the half, the 49ers fouled Daugherty while shooting. The Flyer freshman hit both of her shots to give UD the lead once more. However, a long range three by Ray made the advantage short lived.

Dayton fired back again with a basket by Oakland, but Charlotte would have the final points of the half when they laid it in with under a minute left. Heading into the half the Flyers trailed by a slim margin, 33-32.

A slow start to the second half proved to be costly for Dayton. Out of the half, Charlotte knocked down the first 12 points before Kiki Lund added three points to the Flyers total in the second.

A pair of surges late in the game by UD was not enough to overcome the deficit in the second half as Dayton fell short of the 49ers, 64-51.

The Flyers begin a two-game road swing on Saturday battling the Saint Joseph's Hawks at 2 p.m. ET. The team will then head to Washington D.C. to take on the George Washington Colonials on the 29th. Follow the Flyers with Gametracker on www.DaytonFlyers.com.