JONESBORO (1/23/08) ? Jazmine Taylor scored a career-high 20 points to lead Arkansas State to a 72-64 overtime Sun Belt Conference victory over Florida International in the Convocation Center Wednesday night. ASU goes to 12-9 on the year and 7-3 in Sun Belt play, while FIU drops to 7-12 and 3-5.
Taylor, a sophomore from Memphis, took charge early and played a key role all night as she ended as the Lady Indians' leading scorer along with recording four assists, two blocks and three steals. She also had four rebounds.
“We are very pleased with this win,” said ASU Head Coach Brian Boyer. “I felt like Florida International was a very good team that has played very well late. Their strengths concerned me because their strengths did not complement our weaknesses very well, or I guess they did from FIU's standpoint. They are a very good rebounding team that is not going to come out and guard you. They just stay in and protect the basket and I know that got very frustrating for our team at times.
“Everything this team goes through is a valuable experience,” said Boyer. “You are anxious to see how a team is going to respond in this situation. You are mentally tired and physically tired, and how you respond from that is important. I'm proud of how we responded to get the win.”
ASU got on the board first when Veronica Smith hit a short jumper, but it didn't take long for the Golden Panthers to return fire behind the long range shooting of LaQuetta Ferguson who hit five of seven from three-point land. Her long-distance shooting along with11 points by Jasmine Jenkins helped FIU gain an eight-point lead midway in the first half. Ferguson led all scorers with 23 points, while Jenkins added 11 along with 18 rebounds.
A strong defense by ASU forced the Golden Panthers into 24 turnovers, allowing the Tribe to catch up and take the lead again, 36-28, at the halfway point. The Lady Indians, who ended the night with a season-low eight turnovers, had 10 steals.
The second half started where it left off with the Lady Indians coming out firing, but Ferguson went to work again for FIU and hit two straight three-pointers and two free throws cut ASU's lead to one, 47-46 at the 10-minute mark.
Although, FIU took the one-point lead again with 2:43 left in the game, ASU's Taylor went to the free throw line and knocked down the shot to knot the score, 57-all. ASU had one more shot to take the win in regulation when Caroline Starr launched a buzzer shot, but it banged off the rim and the game went into overtime.
Arkansas State dominated the overtime period with Angie Criner scoring six of her seven points. The freshman from Jenks, Okla., also grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds. Ebonie Jefferson scored 13 points and had seven boards, and Shay Scott added nine points and 16 boards, a career high for the freshman from North Little Rock. ASU's 60 rebounds is also a season-high. Scott was one point shy of recording her sixth double-double on the year.
Although Florida International outshot the Lady Indians with 36.4 percent, ASU's 60-percent shooting performance in the overtime period helped produce the successful outcome. FIU shot 26 three-pointers connecting on 10, while the Lady Indians hit only one in 12 tries. ASU outrebounded FIU 60-52.
Boyer takes his team back on the road this weekend when ASU faces Western Kentucky Jan. 26 at 7 p.m. at Diddle Arena.
