Pirates sent packing
JMU wins in season opener to East Carolina
By Brian Hansen, sports editor
Posted on November 13, 2006

Senior center Meredith Alexis scored 30 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as the JMU women’s basketball team defeated East Carolina University 82-66 in its season opener Sunday.

Alexis extended two school records, collecting her 41st double double and 52nd double-figure game and fell one point shy of her career high of 31 points.

“I got some great passes inside and worked on powering it up,” Alexis said. “Coach Brooks and I, in our individual workouts, have really stressed powering it up.”

Alexis dominated opposing center Cherie Mills, who was held to just 11 points and three rebounds in 14 minutes for the Pirates.

“They are both really good basketball players,” JMU coach Kenny Brooks said. “We knew Meredith would have the advantage because she runs the floor like a guard. She beat them to the spot a lot and she was really able to gain position on them.”

ECU was able to keep the game close throughout the first half and early second half by forcing 26 JMU turnovers. The turnovers were an area of concern for coach Brooks after the game.

“It looked like how we played a couple of years ago,” Brooks said. “We were careless with the basketball. It’s something I know we can correct and we’ll watch the film and try to gain from it.”

The Pirates took a 40-39 lead at the 16:38 mark of the second half, but would never lead again as the Dukes went on a 9-0 run, six of which were scored by Alexis.

“I don’t know if maybe they came out a little bit flat and then we woke them up,” East Carolina coach Sharon Baldwin-Tener said. “I think they were more concentrated and got the ball where they wanted it after that.”

The Dukes out-rebounded the Pirates 60-30 in the game and stretched the lead to as large as 16 points in the second half.

JMU also got help inside from junior forward Jennifer Brown, a transfer from Pittsburgh, who added 12 points and nine rebounds coming off the bench. Junior forward Tamera Young also added eight points and 13 rebounds.

“[Brown’s] spark really helped us,” Brooks said. “I felt comfortable with her out on the floor. She can come in and there’s really no drop-off for us out on the floor.”

Senior point guard Andrea Benvenuto also added 14 points and six assists for JMU, but turned the ball over seven times.

Tempers flared early in the second half as senior forward Shirley McCall and ECU guard Terry LaCoya got tangled up and began pushing and shoving. Both girls were given technical fouls and McCall left with an injury to a finger on her right hand. It is not known how long she will be out.

The Dukes will be back on the hardwood Sunday to take on the Richmond Spiders in the first of two road games. Then, JMU will face George Washington Nov. 25. Both games will tip off at 2 p.m.