Nov. 20, 2005

Box Score

BALTIMORE, MD - Senior Amanda Leese led three Blue Jays in double figures as her 16 points helped the Johns Hopkins women's basketball team defeat Rhodes 72-67 in overtime and win the Blue Jay Invitational in Goldfarb Gymnasium. Leese, who averaged 13.5 points and 12.0 rebounds in the tournament, was named the Blue Jay Invitational Most Valuable Player.

Hopkins improved to 2-0 with the win, while Rhodes fell to 1-1. In the consolation game, York (1-1) defeated Carnegie Mellon (0-2) 62-51 to earn third place. The Blue Jay Invitational championship was the 10th overall and the third straight for Johns Hopkins.

After a regulation game that saw nine ties and six lead changes, Johns Hopkins junior Julie Miller scored the first seven points in overtime to help the Blue Jays take a 66-59 lead with 2:11 remaining. Rhodes got within four with 26 seconds remaining but Hopkins held on for the win.

Miller finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds, while senior Katie Kimball had a complete game of 10 points, five rebounds, six assists, five blocks, and four steals on her way to all-tournament team honors. Rhodes sophomore Ashley Farrell was also selected to the all-tournament team after scoring a tournament-high 22 points and adding eight rebounds today.

Rhodes led in the early minutes of the game until sophomore Andrea Dodrill and freshman Jenna Berninger sparked Hopkins off the bench for a 14-8 Blue Jay lead with 7:54 on the clock. Two free throws and a layup by Farrell kept the Lynx close, but Kimball set up freshman Jessica Rice for back-to-back baskets to maintain the seven-point Hopkins lead with just over two minutes remaining. Farrell answered with a three-point play and two foul shots to help Rhodes tie the game 24-24 at the break.

Farrell led all scorers with 12 points at halftime, but both teams were shooting under 30 percent. Hopkins held a 34-27 edge on the boards, led by Miller's seven and Leese's five rebounds.

Junior Haley Wojdowski scored consecutive layups to start the second half but the Blue Jays could not pull away. Rhodes went on a 19-7 scoring run in the next nine minutes, capped by a three from senior Taylor Cook, for a 43-35 lead at the 10 minute mark.

Behind the offense of Kimball, Leese, and freshman Kristin Phillips, Johns Hopkins tied the game again at 45-45 with six minutes remaining. The score was knotted twice more before Cook made two free throws to put the Lynx ahead by three, 54-51, with 2:25 to play. Miller and Leese scored on back-to-back possessions to give Hopkins a 55-54 lead with 1:30 on the clock but Rhodes junior Amie Cahill hit a three with 23 seconds remaining to put the Lynx back on top. Leese's post move with 12 seconds to go tied the score at 57 at the end of regulation and send the game into overtime, where Johns Hopkins dominated.

The Blue Jays out-rebounded the Lynx 60-50 including 22-11 on the offensive boards, out-shot them 36 percent to 32 percent, and had five less turnovers (21-16).

Johns Hopkins returns to action at home next Sunday, Nov. 27, at 3 pm against #5 Scranton.

2005 Blue Jay Invitational
First Place - Johns Hopkins
Second Place - Rhodes
Third Place - York
Fourth Place - Carnegie Mellon

All-Tournament Team
Stacie Aleski, Carnegie Mellon
Kelli Ward, York
Ashley Farrell, Rhodes
Katie Kimball, Johns Hopkins
Amanda Leese, Johns Hopkins

Most Valuable Player
Amanda Leese, Johns Hopkins