Nov. 29, 2008

Box Score

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The University of Dayton women's basketball team picked up its four-straight win versus Central Michigan, 78-76, in the first round of the Buckeye Classic Saturday afternoon. The Flyers (4-2) closed out the win in the final minutes of the game with the help of a career-high 27 points and 13 rebounds from junior Kendel Ross.

UD will play Ohio State in the Championship game on Sunday, Nov. 30 at 2 p.m. ET. The contest will be aired on the Big Ten Network and live stats will be available through www.DaytonFlyers.com.

Justine Raterman scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the game and Marie Rosche finished with a career-best 12 points.

Dayton jumped out to an early lead behind Kendel Ross who had seven points heading into the first media timeout. But the Flyers' advantage didn't last long as the Chippewas seized the edge after a trey from Britni Houghton at 11:08 to lead 17-15.

Central Michigan took its biggest lead of the game by 12 points with a minute left to play in the first frame after back-to-back shots from Angel Chan and Skylar Millar. The Flyers would score three more points in the final minutes, but CMU would take the edge into the locker room, 43-34.

Dayton battled back after the first half bringing the score to within two points in the first five minutes of play (49-47) after a Ross three.

CMU answered with three treys from Brandie Baker, Angel Chan, and Latisha Luckett to move the score 58-48 with 12:01 remaining.

However, Raterman would net two free throws and connect on a shot and teammate Ross would tally one from underneath to climb back within reach, 58-54, with 11:02 on the clock.

At the 9:00 mark, freshman Kayla Moses would get off a shot and was fouled for the three-point play. Raterman got fouled on the next possession and went 1-for-2 on the line to tie it up 60-60 with 8:30 left in the game.

Dayton would take the lead for the first time in the half after a lay-up from De'Sarae Chambers, 62-60.

But Skylar Miller would score two for the Chippewas to tie it up once again.

The Chippewas would build a small lead from there, while Raterman turned it up with seven-straight points for UD.

Dayton would close the gap and bring the score to within two points, 73-71, with 1:30 to play. Ross would knot it up on a lay-up at 1:01 and after a foul from Baker would go to the line and net two throws for a 75-73 lead with 43 seconds left in the game.

Ross would tally another throw and Daugherty would net two of her own to give UD a comfortable lead in the final seconds of the game.

A last second three from CMU's Shonda Long would go in, but the Flyers walked away with the win 78-76.