JagBytes

Issue date: 2/20/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Marcos Dominguez Head Coach Shann Hart watches her team play against Oral Roberts on Saturday. Hart showed her support for the YMCA's Think Pink by wearing pink to the game.

Media Credit: Marcos Dominguez The IUPUI Women's basketball team gets together before its game against Oral Roberts Feb. 16.

The IUPUI women's basketball team completed a dramatic come-from-behind victory Feb. 16, defeating Oral Roberts 69-66 on "Think Pink" night in the Jungle.

"I think that the kids have been very pumped about this weekend and being able to play Oral Roberts on this special day," IUPUI coach Shann Hart said. "We were glad that it was Oral Roberts that we were doing the "Think Pink" campaign for.

The WBCA (Women's Basketball Coaches Association) actually chose the "Think Pink" date for everybody. For both of us to be battling for second and third place, this is a big win for us today. A good team effort."

The first half was an evenly played affair, as the teams entered halftime tied at 34.

ORU (14-10, 8-5 Summit) began the second half on a 16-8 run to take a 50-42 lead with 12:54 remaining in the game. With 2:09 remaining in the game, the Jaguars trailed 66-60. However, IUPUI did not throw in the towel.

With 33 seconds remaining in the game, Brittany Ransom came up with a steal and was fouled. She knocked down both free throws to tie the game at 66.

Hart thinks that IUPUI (12-14, 8-6 Summit) was able to complete the comeback due to one important aspect.

"Defense," she said. "It doesn't take but one word and that's defense. I thought we did a good job that last five minutes, in particular the last two minutes of the game, of picking up our defensive intensity and defensive effort. I think that was the difference in the game."

Julia Whitted, Brykeesha Tate and Ransom knocked down free throws down the stretch to guide the Jaguars to the thrilling victory.

Whitted led the Jaguars with a game-high 26 points and 14 rebounds. Jernisha Cann scored 21 points and grabbed 17 rebounds of her own.

Since the breast cancer has struck close to Hart, she was pleased to celebrate the "Think Pink" campaign at IUPUI, to raise awareness for the disease.

"It's unfortunate that so many young girls and women are being faced with breast cancer, so ("Think Pink") is certainly something that I am very big on," she said. "I have had former players and relatives that have breast cancer, so I know what that's like. When they contacted me to participate, it was without question that we were going to do that."

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