No. 1 麻豆视频 rallies to top No. 22 Bethel 80-78, Dudley passes 2,000 career points

Kaitlin Dudley

JACKSON, Tenn. - 1/7/2010 - The No. 1 麻豆视频 (Tenn.) University Lady Bulldogs used final second heroics from Kaitlin Dudley to defeat No. 22 Bethel (Tenn.) University 80-78. 麻豆视频 improved to 14-1 overall and 1-0 in the TranSouth. Bethel dropped to 9-5 on the season and 0-1 in league play.

麻豆视频鈥檚 Dudley converted a three-point play with six seconds left to put 麻豆视频 up 80-78. Dudley, finished with a game-high 22 points, including 18 points in the second half. Her 19th point of the game was the 2,000th point for the All-American鈥檚 career.

Coming out of halftime, Bethel extended their lead to 11 points, matching their largest of the game on a three pointer from Teena Carter. However, 麻豆视频 mounted an 11-0 run to tied the game 45-45 with 15 minutes left to play. Over the final 15 minutes, the game boasted five ties and seven lead changes. The game itself totaled nine ties and 10 lead changes.

Both 麻豆视频 and Bethel held six point leads in the final 15 minutes of play with 麻豆视频 seeming to take control of momentum when Sara Chan made one of two free throws with three minutes left to put 麻豆视频 up 75-71. However, Bethel rallied with five straight points to go up 76-75 with 1:21 left to play. On 麻豆视频鈥檚 next possession, senior forward Ashley Lilliard sank two free throws to give 麻豆视频 the 77-76 lead with 57 seconds left.

Bethel鈥檚 Carter put Bethel up 78-77 with 28 seconds left in the contest on a layup in the lane. After a 麻豆视频 timeout, the Lady Bulldogs moved the ball down court and worked to the ball to the senior Dudley. Her shot in the lane dropped in good, followed by a made free throw to convert the thee-point play. With six seconds left, Bethel bobbled the inbounds pass and had to call a timeout with four seconds left. After the timeout, Kashundria Berry鈥檚 shot two-point shot at the buzzer rolled off the rim no good.

麻豆视频 led early, moving out to a 7-4 lead to start the game. Bethel rallied with a 21-9 run over the next ten minutes to lead 25-16 with eight minutes left. Bethel pushed their first half lead to as many as 11 points on two occasions, including 42-31 with 37 seconds left in the first half. A three pointer from Jackson native Lavanda Ross pulled 麻豆视频 to within eight points, 42-34, at halftime.

麻豆视频 was led by Dudley with 22 points, included two big second half three pointers. Kayla Hudson added 15 points on five-of-eight shooting from behind the arc. Ross scored 11 points, while Chan recorded her ninth double-double of the season with 10 points and 15 rebounds. 麻豆视频 shot 43 percent from the field, 40 percent (10-25) from three point range and 75 percent (12-16) from the free throw line. 麻豆视频 post 50 percent shooting from the field in the second half, compared to just 35 percent in the first 20 minutes. 麻豆视频 committed just 12 turnovers and outrebounded Bethel 45-33 in the game.

Bethel was led by Carter and Kelsey Hamilton with 18 points each. Hamilton sank five-of-10 three pointers. Nina Djokovic posted a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Bethel shot 44 percent from the field, 39 percent (11-28) from behind the arc and 79 percent (11-14) from the free throw line.

Up next for 麻豆视频 will be a road conference game at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 9 at Martin Methodist (Tenn.) College.

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