WINTER PARK, Fla. (January 10, 2009) –
Rollins women's basketball coach Glenn Wilkes, Jr. earned his 500th
career victory Saturday in the 12th ranked Tars 61-48 romp over No.
19 Tampa.
Wilkes joins his father, former Stetson men's coach Glenn
Wilkes, to become the first father-son duo in NCAA history to each
have 500 career victories.
Rollins' Ines Teuma (13-0, 4-0 Sunshine State Conference) led
the Tars offensively with a double-double, her first of the season,
posting 12 points and 11 rebounds, while freshman guard Kourtnie
Berry scored a game-high 13 points off the bench.
Pacing the Spartans (10-3, 1-2 SSC) was Angela Guiu with 12
points and five rebounds, the only scorer to reach double figures
for Tampa.
Defensively, Rollins limited the Spartans to a 17.2 shooting
percentage in the first half and 26.2 percent (16-61) for the game.
The Tars hit 34 percent (21-30) from the floor and 70 percent
(21-30) from the charity stripe.
The Tars and Spartans exchanged buckets in the opening frame to
put the score at 11-11 with 12:52 remaining until intermission, but
Rollins ended the routine going on a 12-0 run over a span of nine
minutes, which included back-to-back jumpers from Jessica
Barker.
Tampa ended its drought with a pair of free throws from Tiara
Cook to cut the Tars lead to 23-13 with 3:47 left. The Spartans
slashed the deficit to seven before halftime after a 3-pointer from
Guiu. The teams traded two free throws a piece to head into the
locker rooms with a Tars 25-18 advantage.
Rollins continued to apply its relentless pressure defense after
opening the second half on a mid-range jumper from Teuma. The Tars
extended its lead back to double-digits from a Brittainy Daiger
lay-in after a pair of free throws from Teuma.
The Tars added to its lead after a Daiger 3-pointer, her third
of the season, which preceded a Paris Moore lay-in and two free
throws to give the Tars a 15-point lead with 14:31 remaining in
regulation.
Rollins built its largest lead of the evening at the 5:45 mark
on an Erin Kirkwood top of the key jumper to increase the advantage
to 20. Rollins matched Tampa the rest of the way and used its
clutch free throw shooting down the stretch to seal the
victory.
The Tars shot 40 percent (6-15) from beyond the arc, led by
Jessica Pressley and Berry both 2-of-4 from 3-point range.
Tampa entered Saturday's contest holding teams to a conference
best 40.7 ppg, but it was Rollins, second in the conference in
scoring defense with 51.9 ppg, that gained the edge, forcing 14
Spartan turnovers and holding Tampa under 50 points.
The Tars outscored the Spartans in bench points, 27-18 and
out-rebounded Tampa, 47-33.
Following the game, Wilkes was honored for his achievement as
assistant coach Eddie Cole spoke on behalf of the Rollins women's
basketball team and the athletic department. Athletic Director
Pennie Parker presented Wilkes with a commemorative framed poster
following Cole's speech.
Wilkes and his father, Glenn Wilkes, combine for 1,051 career
victories and become the only father son duo to achieve 500 career
wins respectively in the NCAA. Wilkes was a legendary coach at
Stetson University where he accumulated 551 wins during his career
that spanned 1958-93.
The Tars continue conference action when Rollins travels to Lynn
University, Wednesday, Jan. 14 at 5:30 p.m. Fans can catch all the
action live on the Citizens Bank of Florida Tars Sports Network and
locally on 91.5 FM, WPRK.
