March 9, 2008
2008 Patriot League Women's Basketball Championship Page
Semifinal #2
Last Second Free Throws Give Holy Cross a 46-44 Win Over Lehigh
MAHWAH, N.J. (AP) - As the second seed, Holy Cross defeated third-seeded Lehigh, 46-44, in the second semifinal game on Sunday of the Patriot League Women's Basketball Tournament.
Holy Cross (19-12, 10-4 PL) took only its second lead of the game with six seconds remaining in the contest. After leading the entire first half and by as many as 10 early in the second stanza, Lehigh (18-13, 9-5 PL) let Holy Cross chip away. A three-pointer by Holy Cross' Ashley McLaughlin with 1:09 on the clock tied it up 44-44. Lehigh's Erica Prosser then missed two free throws, but sophomore Crusader Bethany O'Dell did not make the same mistake, sinking two with six seconds left to seal the win for Holy Cross.
Lehigh headed into the locker room at halftime with a 20-14 advantage. The Mountain Hawks were up by seven at the 11:29 mark, but allowed Holy Cross to get within two with 8:04 on the clock, 14-12. For the next five minutes neither team scored. It was a Claire Sullivan layup that broke the scoreless span with 2:36 on the clock. Holy Cross answer with a bucket and Lehigh tacked on four more points to end the half.
Briana McFadden led the Crusades with 12 points, while Elizabeth Campbell had 10 points and a team-high nine rebounds.
For Lehigh, Melissa Rich, Alex Ross and Prosser each had 10 points. Haly Crites pulled down a team-high seven boards.
Holy Cross advances to play fifth-seeded Bucknell in the Patriot League Tournament Championship Game. The championship game will be played on the Crusaders' home court at the Hart Center on Wednesday, March 12 at 6 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPNU.
Game Notes
- Holy Cross will be making its 14 Patriot League Tournament Championship Game appearance on Wednesday. The Crusaders have won 11 tournament titles and is the defending Patriot League Tournament champion.
- The 90 combined points are the fewest in a Patriot League Tournament game in the tourney's 18-year history.
- This semifinal game was moved to the Bill Bradley Center on the campus of Ramapo College in Mahwah, N.J. due to a city-wide power repair in the West Point and surrounding areas between the hours of 4 and 8 p.m. on Sunday.
Semifinal #1
Fifth-seeded Bucknell knocks off No. 1 American, 60-52
Box Score
WEST POINT, N.Y. (AP) - The fifth-seeded Bison of Bucknell upset the top-seeded American Eagles, 60-52, in the first semifinal on Sunday of the 2008 Patriot League Women's Basketball Tournament at Army's Christl Arena.
Bucknell (15-15, 8-6 PL) controlled the game from the beginning, only allowing one lead for American (18-13, 11-3 PL) 3-2 at 18:32 in the first half. The Eagles held an 11-point lead at the break, 29-18.
While it was American that out-scored Bucknell in the second half, 34-31, the Bison still came away with the eight-point victory.
Freshman Joyce Novacek led the Bison with a career-high 18 points and tied her career high with 13 rebounds. Lauren Schober posted 14 points, while Kesha Champion had 11.
For American, Talicia Jackson posted a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Pam Stanfield led the Eagles with 17 points, while Liz Hayes added 10. Maggie Smith-Davidson pulled down 12 boards and Stephanie N'Garsanet had 11.
Bucknell advances to the Patriot League Tournament Championship Game and will face the winner of the Holy Cross-Lehigh semifinal that will take place at 7 p.m. tonight. The championship game is slated for Wednesday, March 12 at 6 p.m. at the site of the highest remaining seed and will be broadcast on ESPNU.
Game Notes
- This marks the second-straight season the No. 1 seed will not be in the championship game.
- Bucknell is the lowest seed to advance to the championship game since the 2004-05 season when No. 6 Colgate made it to the finals.
- This marks the first return to the championship game for Bucknell since the 2002 season, when it was crowned champion.
- American will represent the Patriot League in the WNIT. The team with the highest finish in each conference that does not earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament earns an automatic spot in the WNIT as long as its overall record is .500 or better.
- The second semifinal of the 2008 Patriot League Women's Basketball Tournament between No. 2 Holy Cross and No. 3 Lehigh on Sunday will be moved to the Bill Bradley Center on the campus of Ramapo College in Mahwah, N.J. and will be played at 7 p.m. A change in venue and time is due to a city-wide power repair in the West Point and surrounding areas between the hours of 4 and 8 p.m.
