Nov. 10, 2006

Box Score

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Dayton women's basketball team dropped its season-opening game to host Louisville, 81-54 in Friday's nightcap of the Cardinal Classic. UD (0-1) looks for its first win of the season against Memphis (0-1) on Saturday at 5 p.m. ET in a game that can be followed live with Gametracker at www.DaytonFlyers.com.

Junior Nikki Oakland was the only Flyer to reach double-digits in scoring with 12 points as UD shot just 32.8 percent from the field (19-of-58). Oakland made 6-of-8 shots from the field in 21 minutes of action as she recorded her first collegiate start.

Sophomore Marie Rosche led UD with nine rebounds while adding eight points as part of a Dayton bench that scored 21 of the team's 54 points.

Senior Jennifer Strong was limited to just six points on the night against a Louisville squad which is receiving votes in both major Top 25 Polls to begin the season.

In contrast, four Cardinals had at least 11 points including Ellen Johnson who led all players with 18. Angel McCoughtry tallied a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. The duo of Chauntise Wright and Jazz Covington each finished with 11 points for U of L, which connected on 29 of 65 shots from the field (44.6 percent).

U of L opened the scoring with a three-point basket by Helen Johnson just 37 seconds into the game. Oakland responded with a jumper just 17 seconds later. Then Brittany Holterman followed with a layup at 18:18 to give UD the lead, 4-3.

The lead would be short lived for the Flyers as the Cardinals went on a 6-0 run over the next 1:25 for a 9-4 edge. After a jumper from Oakland got UD to within three, Louisville rattled off 10 consecutive points over the next 2:17 for a 19-6 advantage.

U of L would lead by as many as 21 with 5:59 remaining in the first half but a 16-5 Flyer run to end the half closed the deficit to 37-27 heading into the locker room. Oakland tallied six of her 10 first-half points during the surge while Holterman added five of her own in the rally.

The momentum Dayton gained at the end of first half was broken during the intermission as Louisville scored seven straight points to begin the second half in a span of 1:19 to build a 17-point advantage. The Cardinals then went ahead by 21 at 52-31 with 14:22 remaining and UD would not get any closer before eventually falling 81-54.