HOLLINGSWORTH TURNS 18, SCORES 20 IN 58-55 VCU ROAD WIN 11-15-06 Box Score RADFORD, Va. – Sophomore center Quanitra Hollingsworth (Chesapeake, Va./ Great Bridge) (pictured) scored 20 points and hit a go-ahead free throw with 48.7 seconds remaining on her 18 th birthday to spearhead Virginia Commonwealth University’s 58-55 win over Radford Wednesday at the Dedmon Center. The win moves VCU to 2-0 on the young season for the second time in as many years. The Rams have won five straight over their in-state rivals, dating back to the 1991-92 season. Radford is 1-1. Hollingsworth finished with 13 rebounds, three assists and three blocks in 39 minutes. The double-double is her first of the season and the 15 th of her career, tying her with Connie Watford and Ellen Corum for seventh place on the school’s all-time list. She hit 8-of-13 shots from the field. Also for VCU, junior forward Krystal Vaughn (Baltimore, Md./Lake Clifton-Eastern) pitched in with 12 points, including two clutch jumpers, and six rebounds, while junior guard Vera Chistova (St. Petersburg, Russia/St. Petersburg #86) scored eight points, grabbed seven rebounds and ripped two steals off the bench. With the score knotted at 53-53, Hollingsworth drew a foul and knocked down the front end of a one-and-one with 48.7 seconds left to give the Rams a one-point lead. On the ensuing Radford possession, senior guard Michele Cosel (Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee) stole the ball and shuffled it over to junior guard LaKea Jones (Fort Washington, Md./National Christian Academy), who was promptly fouled. Jones hit both free shots with 19.9 on the clock to push the margin to 56-53. Vandy Pullen’s layin with 2.9 seconds remaining cut the lead to one, but Cosel sealed the victory with two free throws. Radford’s Johnette Walker got a good look at a 22-footer as time expired, but clanged it off the backboard and rim. VCU trailed, 51-49, with 4:22 remaining after Radford’s Shavon Earp hit a layup to give the Highlanders their first lead since it was 10-9. However, Vaughn came up big, hitting a 17-footer from the top of the key with 3:19 showing, followed by a baseline jumper at the 2:45 mark to reclaim a 53-51 lead for VCU. The Rams took a 10-point advantage into the locker room on the strength of a balanced offensive attack, as well as a substantial edge on the boards. Hollingsworth, Moss and Chistova all pumped in six points for VCU, which hit on 42-percent (14-of-33) of its shots from the field. Additionally, Hollingsworth sparked a 26-16 rebounding margin for the Rams, pulling down seven to go with three blocks. After Radford jumped out to a 9-4 lead in the game’s first six minutes, VCU exploded for a 20-5 run, sparked in part by all six of Hollingsworth’s first-half points, to take control. A Hollingsworth layup at the 13:06 mark, followed by a three-point play from senior forward Miranda Smith (Chesapeake, Va./ Indian River) at 12:31 knotted the score at 9-9. The Highlanders briefly regained the lead on a Kelli Darden free throw, but the Rams scored 14 of the game’s next 18 points, pushing the Ram lead to 24-14 with 5:17 on the clock. VCU returns to action on Sunday, Nov. 19 at 1 p.m. when the Rams open their home schedule with Saint Joseph’s of the Atlantic 10 at the Alltel Pavilion.