Burke Leads Women’s Basketball to an 83-68 Victory over Long Island in Season Opener

Nov. 21, 2003

Contact: Amanda Brickell

Hamilton, NY — Senior Malissa Burke (Traverse City, Mich.) knocked down 17 points to surpass the 1,000 point career scoring mark and lead the Colgate women’s basketball team to an 83-68 victory over Long Island University on Friday night.

The Raiders took a 6-0 lead out of the chute with two jumpers from junior Chigozie Ozor (Ann Arbor, Mich.) and a lay-up by Burke.  Roughly seven minutes later another Burke lay up gave the Raiders a ten point advantage and bought the tri-captain a ticket into the 1,000 point club.

Colgate shot 59.4% (19-32) from the field and maintained the lead for the entirety of the first half.  The Raiders would head to the locker room up 46-31 at the break.

Ozor came out firing in the second half providing the Raiders with two lay-ups and a seventeen point edge.  Colgate held the gap to at least 14 points until just under three minutes when Long Island‘s Ravin Chase knocked down a two point basket and was fouled by Milaina Lagzdins (Burlington, Ont.).  After a successful free throw attempt and another Long Island lay-up, the score sat at 75-66. 

Ozor ended the Blackbird’s scoring surge, knocking down a three-point basket with two minutes left on the clock.  Burke notched two points on a pass from freshman point guard Molly Patterson (Euclid, Ohio) to add the final blow.  The Raiders held Long Island off the board for the final minute and a half and walked away with an 83-68 victory.

Lagzdins was five for five from the field with 11 points and 14 rebounds to claim her first double-double of the regular season.  Ozor had the best performance of her career thus far posting a career-high 16 points, two three-pointers, and eight steals.

Patterson put 15 points and six assists on the board for the Raiders in her collegiate debut.  Junior Leandra Fuller (Harrisburg, Pa.) was credited with two blocked shots in the game, bringing her career total to 72 and tying her for tenth place on the Patriot League’s all-time blocked shots list.  Junior Emily Braseth (E.Grand Rapids, Mich.) had nine points and six rebounds on the night.

Long Island was paced by Ravin Chase with 20 points and 11 rebounds.  Kelly Sawyer contributed 18 points and four assists to the Blackbirds effort, while Erin Pinchbeck and Amber Wirth scored 11 and 10 points respectively.

Tonight’s victory moves the Raiders to 1-0 on the season.  The team is back in action Sunday as it faces the Seahawks of Wagner on Sunday at 2 p.m. at the SpiroSportsCenter in Staten Island, N.Y.