The Saint Louis University women's basketball team got off to another slow start this Friday against 12th ranked DePaul. In the first five minutes of the half, the Bills made two shots from the field, one from freshman Mia Johnson, and another by Brittany Artis. While the team had a few good looks, nothing seemed to be falling for the Bills, which let DePaul pull away with a 14-5 lead with 14:12 left in the half.
With 12:21 left in the game, it looked like the Bills would be able to cut the lead a bit when DePaul was held scoreless for three and a half minutes enabling the Bills to pull within eight. DePaul regained their momentum forcing a few turnovers and pulled back ahead by 15.
"Our turnovers have been bad all year," coach Jill Pizzotti said. "We were getting our turnovers down into the teens, but we turned the ball over too much tonight."
The Bills gained some momentum with a little under eight minutes left in the half, when freshman Heather King sank a basket. Next time down the court junior Marquita McFarland missed a shot from the free-throw line, but crashed the boards, got her own rebound and made a lay-up to pull the Bills back within 10.
The Bills' short run was put to an end when the Blue Devils' Jenni Dant sank two free throws. King responded with a basket of her own. DePaul then scored two baskets in a row before the Bills answered with a shot by senior Ava Smith. With two and a half minutes left in the half, the Blue Demons came back with yet another basket. Johnson made the last basket of the half for the Bills with 1:47 left on the clock. The Blue Demons responded with two free throws and two baskets, one in the last few seconds of the half, giving them a 19-point lead.
The second half started a little better for the Bills. DePaul made the first basket of the half plus two free throws, but Johnson countered with a three-pointer for the Bills, faking out her defender to get the open shot. Each team sank another basket; when DePaul inbounded the ball Johnson stole it and passed to McFarland, who sank the shot.
The next time down the floor, Johnson sank another three, to pull within 17 with 15:45 left in the game.
"This was one of Mia's better shooting days," Pizzotti said. "She is getting better shot selection, driving to the basket and drawing fouls. She has been shooting well in conference play."
For shot the Bills had, DePaul was able to answer with baskets of their own. With a few good stops at the 10-minute mark, the Bills pulled within 16. The Bills would not be able to come any closer than 16 in the rest of the game, losing 82-64.
"We let them get a lot of offensive rebounds and second chance shots," Pizzotti said. "The second half we did better at not turning the ball over and did better with our inside game, but unfortunately it wasn't enough."
The Bills faced a second opponent on Sunday, as they tried to win against Marquette. The game started out at an intense pace, but three minutes into the game, each team had only sunk one field goal. Marquette sinking baskets, quickly followed by two three pointers, looked like the Golden Eagles would go on a run with a 12-5 lead.
However, the Bills answered back. Sophomore Tyler McIlwraith sank a basket for the Bills, followed by a three-pointer from Johnson. Sopomore Krystle Hatton followed with another shot, driving to the basket. Johnson tied the game 14-14, with 12:07 left in the half, by sinking two free throws after being fouled on the shot. The Bills took the lead at the 11:11 mark with a jump shot from Johnson.
The Bills were able to hold on to the lead until there were just over six minutes left in the half. The Golden Eagles were able to reclaim the lead, 25-24, with a three-pointer from Danielle Kamm, with 3:45 in the half. The lead changed twice more, but the Golden Eagles took the lead into the half, 32-31.
The Bills came out of the locker room, ready to regain the lead. A quick drive to the basket by McFarland tied the game back up 33-33. Marquette answered with a three-pointer, but the Bills rallied with a lay-up by McIlwraith, a three pointer by Johnson and another three-pointer by senior Ava Smith, to give the lead to the Bills 41-38.
The Bills led by five, with 16:08, to go in the game. The Golden Eagles chipped away at the tenuous lead, with a three-pointer by Lesley Juedes. Marquette would take the lead, 47-46, with 11:58 left in the game. The Bills were held scoreless for nearly six minutes while the Golden Eagles stretched the lead to nine, 55-46, with 8:48 in the game.
The Golden Eagles continued to hold the lead, and another three- pointer by Juede helped Marquette stretch the lead to 63-51, with only 3:13 left in the game. The Billikens did not have enough time to overcome the deficit-and ended the game with a disappointing loss, 70-56.
