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Eagles Lose Non-Conference Road Game to UMES, 80-73
Chanel Hunt leads AU with 17 points

Chanel Hunt scored 17 points in a 80-73 loss to UMES on Wednesday.

Feb. 4, 2004 | Boxscore

WASHINGTON - The American University women’s basketball team put up its third-highest point total of the season Wednesday at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, but the Hawks outgunned the Eagles in a 80-73 win at the Hytche Athletic Center in AU’s last regular season non-conference game.

After AU’s Joanna Barnes (Washington, D.C./Dunbar/Fresno St.) tied the game at 29 a piece at the 2:38 mark of the first half, UMES went on an 11-0 run to take a commanding 40-29 lead. Only a three-pointer by Chanel Hunt (Raleigh, N.C./Ravenscroft) with seconds left in the first stanza could stop the run.

The teams traded baskets for much of the early part of the second half, until UMES’ Laconia Hatcher hit consecutive three-pointers to extend a nine-point Hawk lead to 15 with 12:25 left in the game. The Hawks continued to build their lead and held a 19-point advantage with just 7:44 remaining.

American began to chip away at the lead, whittling it down to five points with 3:20 left on a layup by Chanel Spriggs (Sunderland, Md./Northern). However, UMES hit seven-of-10 free throws down the stretch to prevent any further hope of a comeback for the Eagles.

Hunt hit six-of-11 shots to finish with 17 points, but foul trouble limited her to just 22 minutes. Meanwhile, Spriggs surpassed 1,000 collegiate points. With her 15 points, Spriggs, who spent her first year at NCAA Division III St. Mary’s College (Md.), now has 792 points at American. Spriggs added five rebounds and five steals.

UMES shot 50 percent for the game (30-of-60) and outrebounded AU, 47-29. The Hawks were led by Erica Bennett, who had 24 points, and Tiffany Winkfield, who had 16 points and 20 rebounds, including six offensive boards.

The Eagles return to the second half of their Patriot League schedule on Saturday, Feb. 7, when they travel to Lewisburg, Pa., to square off against Bucknell. Game time is set for 1 p.m.