Rice University
Furman
Women's Hoops Loses at Furman
11/30/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 30, 2007
Rice at Furman Box Score (PDF) 
GREENVILLE, S.C. - Valeriya Berezhynska matched a game-high with 15 points and eight rebounds, but the Rice University women's basketball team dropped a 70-53 decision to Furman Friday evening at Timmons Arena on the Furman campus.
The Owls (5-4) fell behind 16-0 at the 14:25 mark of the opening half as Kali Holtfreter connected on a three-ball. Furman (3-3) knocked down six of its first eight shots, including a trio of three-pointers.
"Give credit to Furman for coming out and taking control of the game early," associate head coach Misty Murphy said. "We didn't match their intensity, and allowed them to dictate the tempo."
Melissa Liebschwager headlined Furman with 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting in 21 minutes, while Holtfreter chipped in 11 points. Katie Johnson went 6-of-8 from the free throw line and totaled 10 points.
The Paladins carried a 40-21 advantage into the locker room, scoring 19 points off of 12 Owl turnovers.
Rice closed the first half on a 6-2 spurt and started the second stanza by stringing together back-to-back baskets by Maudess Fulton and Tiffany Loggins to trim the deficit down to 40-25 with 18:39 remaining.
Furman snatched the momentum right back, responding with 19 of the next 28 points over the next nine minutes capped by a Susan Troutman jumper with 9:21 to go to make it 59-34.
The Owls chipped away and a Kadie Riverin jumper with 1:21 left got Rice to within 67-53 before a trio of Furman free throws pushed it to the final margin of 70-53.
Fulton and Riverin tallied 12 and 11 points, respectively. Emery Carter made her season debut and tallied two points, a block and a steal in 13 minutes.
Rice looks to end a three-game losing streak Sunday at Wake Forest. Tip-off against the Demon Deacons is on-tap for Noon CT. KTRU 91.7 FM and RiceOwls.com will have all of the action live.
