Association of NCAA Division III Independents
Northeast Women’s Basketball Championships Semi-Finals
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Rob Knox, Assistant Athletics Director
for Sports Information Management
(484) 365-7384
Semi-Finals Game 1
LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, PA. (February 23, 2007) – Shanice Nesmith and Sharell McMillan each scored 20 points to lead the Lincoln University women’s basketball team to a 72-48 victory over the University of Maine-Presque Isle, in a semifinal contest of the Association of Division III Independents Northeast Region tournament Friday night at Manuel Rivero Hall.
Playing its first postseason home game in school history, Lincoln (18-8 overall) extended its winning streak to six games. Maine-Presque Isle (15-7) saw its three-game winning streak end despite 13 points, nine rebounds and seven steals from Erica Davis and 11 points from Ashley Brooker.
The Lions advance to Saturday’s championship contest where they meet top-seeded Mitchell College, a 66-57 winner over fourth seeded Saint Joseph’s, Maine, in the opening game, Saturday afternoon beginning at 2:00 p.m. Mitchell defeated Lincoln, 76-66 on January 28 in New London (Ct.).
Saint Joseph’s and UMPI will meet for the third time this season and second time in six days in the consolation game beginning at Noon.
Lincoln, which has won its last six games by double figures, also received 11 points each from Asha Atkinson (seven rebounds) and Mary Rotimi (six rebounds). Chanelle Harris handed out eight assists and pulled down six rebounds. Also for Lincoln, Saharra Robinson finished with six rebounds.
Lincoln’s defense limited its sixth straight opponent to below 32 percent shooting. UMPI made just 30.2 percent of its shots for the game (16-for-53). The visiting Owls made just six baskets in the second half (6-for-22). Lincoln also forced 27 turnovers and collected 14 steals. During the month of February, Lincoln’s average margin of victory has been 15.7 points. Teams are shooting 29.9 percent against Lincoln in the last six games.
McMillan establisher her career high in points by making 9-of-14 shots. McMillan, who is ranked 24th in steals, grabbed five rebounds and collected four steals. Nesmith made four 3-pointers during the game. It was the 23rd time this season, Nesmith scored in double digits.
Lincoln finally took control midway through the second half. After Davis made a pair of foul shots to cut Lincoln’s lead to 42-32 with 13 minutes, 29 seconds remaining. McMillan knocked down a jumper from the baseline to put the Lions ahead, 44-32. Nesmith followed with a 3-pointer. Davis scored to pull her team to within, 47-34. Harris and Atkinson scored consecutive baskets and Lincoln was ahead, 51-34, with 11:14 remaining.
Lincoln eventually expanded its lead to 58-38 with 8:17 remaining.
Things didn’t start too well for the Lions, who found themselves trailing in a game for the first time in 96 minutes, 54 minutes, a span of two and a half games when UMPI’s Julie Westcott scored the opening basket of the contest two minutes into the game. The Owls actually built a 6-2 lead four minutes into the game before Lincoln found its groove. After missing their first four shots of the game, the Lions scored the next 12 points to open a 14-6 lead. That was part of a massive 21-2 surge that gave Lincoln a 23-8 lead with 9 minutes, 32 seconds remaining in the first half.
Lincoln made 39.5 percent of its shots in the first half (15-for-38) and the Owls connected on just 32.3 percent (10-for-31). Lincoln’s lead actually ballooned to 31-15 with five minutes remaining in the opening half. The Owls charged into the break by outscoring Lincoln, 8-3.
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Semi-Finals Game 2
LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, PA. (February 23, 2007) – Top-seeded Mitchell College used a big second half burst to defeat fourth seeded Saint Joseph’s (Maine), 66-57, in the semifinals of the Association of Division III Independents Northeast Regional Women’s Basketball tournament Friday night at Lincoln University’s Manuel Rivero Hall.
Mitchell (16-10) overall ran its winning streak to 12 games and advanced to the AD3I championship game for the second consecutive season. The Pequots will face second seeded Lincoln, a 72-48 winner over No. 3 Maine-Presque Isle in the other semifinal, title game beginning at 2:00 p.m. The game can be heard over the Internet via www.redzonemedia.com.
Saint Joseph’s (10-15) will play in the consolation contest beginning at Noon.
Mitchell senior guard Alva Jeffreys led all scorers with 24 points. Senior Shayna Barnes finished with 15 points and nine rebounds. Sophomore forward Ashley Hansen notched a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Hansen also finished with a team-high five steals. Sophomore guard Shakeya Evans added 10 points and five assists for Mitchell.
Saint Joseph’s had three players finish with 11 points: Carolyn Freeman, Megan Farrrell and Marie Lint. Alysn Ludwig grabbed 11 rebounds to lead the Monks.
Mitchell used a 21-4 burst over a seven-minute stretch of the second half to take control the game. Mitchell held a slim, 39-35 lead with 14 minutes, six seconds remaining after the Monks’ Freeman scored. It was all Mitchell from there.
Evans began the game-altering burst with a pair of foul shots. Then, Hansen split a pair of foul shots, Jeffreys made a layup and Evans scored off of a no-look pass from Jeffreys for a 46-36 lead. Amazingly during the run, Jefferys, who scored 19 points in the first half, scored one basket. The Pequots got contributions from Hansen, Barnes and Evans during the run. After Saint Joseph’s closed to 53-39, the Pequots scored seven straight points to open their largest advantage of the game, 60-39.
The Monks did not go quietly. Consecutive 3-pointers from Freeman and Meg Willette pulled the Monks to within, 65-56, with 1:08 remaining. Ludwig made a foul shot to pull the Monks one point closer, 65-57, with 47 seconds remaining. That would be as close as Saint Joseph’s would get.
Saint Joseph’s led once, 2-0, on a Farrell jumper early in the game. Mitchell took the lead for good, 6-5, on a Hansen foul shot with 15:02 remaining in the opening half. The Pequots stretched their advantage to as many as eight points (18-10) with 7:50 remaining in the first half before settling for a 28-22 halftime lead.
This was the second time this season, Mitchell defeated Saint Joseph’s. Mitchell claimed a 66-63 decision over Saint Joseph’s on January 13 in Standish, Maine.
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