WBSK12-8-00

ESU Women's Basketball

EAST STROUDSBURG - The East Stroudsburg University women's basketball team will have dreams of fields after Friday night's 58-42 loss to Bowie State in the first round of the 36th Rotary Pocono Classic Basketball Tournament.

Bowie's Denay Fields turned the Koehler Fieldhouse court into her own field of dreams with 20 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals.

The Bulldogs (2-4) will play Winston-Salem (7-0) for the women's title Saturday at 3 p.m. ESU (1-5) will meet Longwood (4-3) in a consolation game at 1 p.m.

Winston-Salem rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to upend Longwood, 64-59, in the other first round game.

ESU could not handle Fields' shooting, passing or floor game. The 5-6 guard made eight of 17 shots from the floor including four three-pointers in seven tries. Her passes also found Tamara Barnes (13 points) and Sharna Gray (13 points) open underneath for easy baskets.

The Warriors' only consistent scorer was center Kelly Hutchison, who had a double-double with 16 points and ten rebounds. She made eight of 14 field goal attempts.

The rest of the ESU players were off the mark, making only 8 of 45 shots for less than 20 percent in the team's overall 27 percent shooting average (16 for 59).

The game was close until near the end of the first half when Bowie went on a 12-4 run to open a 32-21 halftime edge. Fields made two three-pointers and a driving layout during their stretch.