December 21, 2008

TRIO LEADS RAMS TO 80-44 THRASHING OF N.C. CENTRAL
Hollingsworth, Moss both tally double-doubles
Box Score

RICHMOND, Va. – Double-doubles from senior Quanitra Hollingsworth (Chesapeake, Va.) (right) and junior D’Andra Moss (Atlanta, Ga.) (above) sparked the Virginia Commonwealth University women’s basketball team to a decisive 80-44 home victory over the Eagles of N.C. Central University on Sunday afternoon.

The frontcourt duo combined for 34 points and 25 rebounds, while rising sophomore Jessica Taylor (Woodbridge, Va.) (below) chipped in 14 points and four steals in the victory.

With the win, the Rams improve to 8-2 and have now won four straight and seven of the past eight. It also marks the seventh straight win at the Siegel Center for the Black and Gold.

The loss is only the second in the past four games for N.C. Central, who falls to 2-11 on the year.

Six points from Hollingsworth sparked the Rams out of the gate as the Black and Gold claimed a 16-4 advantage with 14:04 left in the first half.

In the past four games, VCU has now outscored its opponents by a tally of 67-14 in the first eight minutes of play.

N.C. Central would not go away quietly as the Eagles put together a 12-0 run, holding the Rams to 0-for-7 from the field and getting within one at 19-18 with 9:33 remaining before halftime.

For the second straight game, the Black and Gold would string together a late first-half run with a Moss lay-up capping off an 11-0 run to give VCU a 38-26 halftime advantage.

A three-pointer from Blaire Houston brought NCCU within 10 at 46-36 with 14:40 left in regulation.

That was the closest the Eagles would get the rest of the way.

Seven points and three steals from Taylor ignited a 25-3 Black and Gold run that put the game out of reach with a decisive 71-39 advantage with 3:50 left in the contest.

Four different Rams would score in the final four minutes as VCU held on for the 80-44 victory.

Hollingsworth led all scorers with 19 points, while pulling down 13 rebounds, her 41st double-double of her stellar career. Moss finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds.

Taylor’s 14 points gives her a career-high, while her four steals tie her career-best mark, both of which she accomplished in a road win at Albany earlier this season.

Houston led the Eagles with 13 points, while Jori Nwachukwu and Chasidy Williams chipped in 11 and 10 points, respectively.

The Rams will now take the holiday week off before returning to the hardwood next Sunday to host in-state rival Longwood University in a 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon contest.