Big first half helps Panthers even record

ORANGE, Calif. - The Chapman University women's basketball team had a big first half and cruised to an 81-28 victory over visiting Emerson College (Mass.) on Tuesday night at the Hutton Sports Center. The Panthers scored 51 points and shot over 57 percent from the field in the first 20 minutes on their way to their fifth consecutive win which evened Chapman's overall record at 7-7 for the first time this season.

Junior F Simone Ibbotson scored all of her game-high 17 points in the first half, shooting 6-for-8 from the field including a three-pointer.  No other Panther reached double figures in scoring, but 14 different Chapman players made at least one field goal, led by sophomore G Mary Petrie who scored nine points off the bench. Freshman C Kendall Byrer added eight points and seven rebounds.

Chapman's defense - the biggest difference in the team's current five-game win streak - forced 36 turnovers in the game and held Emerson (3-6) to just 27 percent shooting. The Lions' 28 points is the lowest total for a Chapman opponent since the Panthers held Caltech to 14 points in a contest in 2003. Chapman's 53-point margin of victory is also the largest the Panthers have experienced in over six years.

Emerson G Kathy Andrade was just two rebounds shy of earning a double-double with 12 points and eight boards.

In Chapman's first nine games its opponents were averaging 72.0 points. However, during the Panthers' current win streak they are holding the opposition to an average of just 48.4 points.

by Doug Aiken
Sports Information Director

Box Score: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/wbkb/2009-10/stats/eme-cu.htm