Plant's lead shrinks to one before a series of turnovers and a scoring drought doom King.
By ROD GIPSON
Published January 23, 2004
TAMPA - Despite outrebounding, outshooting and mostly outhustling King for most of its game Thursday, there Plant was clinging to a one-point lead late in the third quarter.
Fortunately for the Panthers, they regained the form that helped them to a seven-point lead earlier. And while King's offense struggled during the final quarter, Plant's 21-20 lead turned into a 39-32 victory.
Plant improved to 13-2 while King dropped to 7-9.
Plant opened the game with six consecutive points from Eriqah Butler and appeared to be on its way to an easy night.
The lead was seven before King started chipping away.
After the Lions opened the second half with a basket by Charmaine Lawson and a 3-pointer by Carly Hunter, they trailed by just two. And after a Plant basket, Hunter completed a three-point play to get the Lions within one at 21-20.
But King could not tie it.
Between key baskets from Butler, Ashley Carrington and Megan Schroder, the Panthers had enough weapons to finish off the Lions.
King didn't help itself with four turnovers and a scoreless drought of more than two minutes late.
Butler finished as the game's high scorer with 14 points. She also had eight rebounds and three blocked shots.
Carrington scored 11 points while Hunter led King with 11 points.
