Crusaders Send Seniors Off in Style with Comeback Win

February 10, 2007
Site: Livonia, Mich. (Activities Center)
Score: Madonna 67, Cornerstone 66
Records: MU (11-16; 6-5 WHAC), Cornerstone (18-9; 9-3 WHAC)
Next MU Event: Monday, Feb. 12 -- at Aquians -- 7:30 pm

		Seniors Lindsday Klemmer (left) and Diane Foley (right) were honored prior to MU's win over Cornerstone Saturday afternoon.

BOX SCORE

LIVONIA, Mich. -- The Madonna women's basketball team trailed by as much as 16 points in the first half, but turned up the intensity in the second half to overtake Cornerstone and hold on for a 67-66 win on Senior Day at the Activities Center.

Martina Franklin (Redford, Mich./Redford Union HS) posted her fourth straight double-double with a career best 29 points along with 10 rebounds to propel MU to their sixth league victory.

Cornerstone held a  42-26 lead with 2:30 left in the first half before Madonna cut the lead to 11 (42-31) at halftime.

The Golden Eagles pushed the lead back to 13 points (44-31) early in the second half before Madonna went on a 16-8 run, capped off by a Franklin lay up to cut Cornerstone's lead to just three points (52-49) with nine minutes remaining.

After Amber Cleypool hit a three-pointer to give Cornerstone a 55-49 lead, Madonna would score the next seven points, including a three-pointer by senior Lindsay Klemmer (Plymouth, Mich./Plymouth Canton HS), which gave the Crusaders a two-point advantage (57-55).

The two teams would exchange the lead three times over the final five minutes of the contest before Franklin was fouled and knocked down a pair of double bonus free throws to give the Crusaders a 67-66 lead.

Cornerstone had one last shot to win the game, but Kara Overbeek's half court heave fell short as time expired.

Madonna shot 39-percent (25-of-64) from the field, but just 20-percent (5-of-25) from beyond the arc.  Cornerstone shot 44-percent (23-of-52) from the floor, including 54-percent (15-of-28) from the field in the first half.  Cornerstone also outrebounded the Crusaders 37-36, but the Golden Eagles committed 20 turnovers.

Junior forward Caryn Inman (Oxford, Mich./Oxford HS) added 12 points, eight rebounds, three blocked shots and three steals for the Crusaders.  Klemmer and Alyssa Guerin (Plymouth, Mich./Plymouth Salem HS) each scored nine points in the winning effort.

Jenna Plewes led the visitors with 14 points, seven boards and six assists in the loss.

Madonna will return to action Monday, Feb. 12 in a makeup game at #20 Aquinas.  Tip off time is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in Grand Rapids.

 

Contact:
Tony Baldwin, Sports Information Director
(734) 432-5834
tbaldwin@madonna.edu