Nov. 29, 2008

Miami Wins UM Thanksgiving Tournament Title

CORAL GABLES - The University of Miami women's basketball team played one of its most complete games of the season to earn their fourth UM Thanksgiving Tournament title with a 60-44 victory over Santa Clara.

The tournament MVP, Miami freshman Shenise Johnson put the Hurricanes (4-2) up for good with a three-pointer from the top of the key with 10:13 remaining in the opening half. For the game, Johnson scored 11 points and ripped down a team-high 10 rebounds. The double-double is the third of the young season for the Henrietta, N.Y. native and she now has more double-doubles than any current Hurricane player.

No. 2 Carolina Holds Off Oregon State, 82-78

FREEPORT, Grand Bahama --- Iman McFarland rebounded her own miss and scored with 11 seconds remaining to help No. 2 North Carolina hold off Oregon State, 82-78, Saturday night at St. Georges High School in the championship game of the Junkanoo Jam. McFarland finished with 16 points and a career-high 14 rebounds and joined MVP Jessica Breland on the all-tournament team.

Carolina (8-0) looked to be in control from the opening tip, as the Tar Heels raced out to an early 10-2 lead. UNC shot 56 percent from the field in the first half and took a 45-30 lead into the locker room, showing no signs of the sloppy play that plagued the start of Friday night's win over Pacific.

Wright Leads No. 15 Virginia Past Marquette, 76-71

MILWAUKEE - Monica Wright finished with 31 points to lead No. 15 Virginia to a 76-71 victory over host Marquette at the WBCA Classic Saturday night at the Al McGuire Center. UVa concludes action at the tournament Sunday at 1 p.m. (CT) against Gonzaga.

Wake Forest Turns Back RedHawks 81-59

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Senior Alex Tchangoue contributed a career-high 22 points in Wake Forest's 81-59 win over Miami University of Ohio on Saturday afternoon. The Demon Deacons are now 5-0 on the season and the RedHawks move to 2-2.

Tchangoue was the leading scorer in the game while Jenna Schone led the RedHawks with 20 points. Wake Forest's Secily Ray and Miami's Erin Wisner shared the high rebound mark with seven caroms each.

FSU Falls in Coors Rocky Mountain Invitational Championship Game to Valparaiso 74-80

FORT COLLINS, Colo. - The Florida State women's basketball team fell to underdog Valparaiso in the championship game of the Coors Rocky Mountain Invitational Saturday night by a score of 74-80.

The Seminoles (5-2) fought back from as many as 19 points down to cut the Crusaders (3-1) lead to four points with just over 30 seconds remaining in the game but in the end it wasn't enough to avoid the upset.

Georgia Tech Falls To No.9 Texas 76-68

BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Iasia Hemingway led the Yellow Jackets with 14 points and nine rebounds but it was not enough as No. 9/11 Texas (6-0) held off Georgia Tech, 76-68, in the first round of the FAU Thanksgiving Tournament Saturday night.

After cutting the Longhorn lead to five points with 10:12 remaining in the game on a Sasha Goodlett three-point play, the Yellow Jackets (4-2) were unable to get any closer. Tech was plagued by foul trouble, with five players called for three or more fouls.

No. 15 Auburn Too Much For Wolfpack Women

MIAMI (AP) -Sherell Hobbs scored 15 points, leading No. 15 Auburn past North Carolina State 66-51 on Saturday in the opening round of the FIU Thanksgiving Classic.

DeWanna Bonner added 14 for Auburn (6-0), which will play the host Golden Panthers (1-4) on Sunday. FIU beat NC State 58-42 on Friday in the other opening-round game of the three-team event.

No. 17 Vanderbilt hands Hokies first loss of season

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Virginia Tech women's basketball team suffered its first defeat of the season, 72-43, to 17th-ranked Vanderbilt in the championship contest of the Vanderbilt Thanksgiving Tournament at Memorial Gymnasium.

The loss dropped the Hokies to 5-1 on the year, while Vanderbilt, a 2008 Sweet 16 participant, improved to 6-1.