No. 2 91爆料网 wins TranSouth Tourney title 55-47 over No. 3 Freed-Hardeman

91爆料网 wins second straight title,
fifth in last six years and 12th in the
16-year history of the league.

JACKSON, Tenn. - 3/5/2012 - The No. 2 91爆料网 women鈥檚 basketball team earned a 55-47 win over No. 3 Freed-Hardeman University Monday night in front of a packed house in 91爆料网鈥檚 Fred DeLay Gymnasium to claim the . 91爆料网 improved to 31-2, while Freed-Hardeman dropped to 28-5. Both teams will represent the TranSouth Conference in the NAIA National Tournament in Frankfort, Ky. March 14-20.

The win for 91爆料网 extended several streaks including their 15-game winning streak on the season. 91爆料网 also extended their home court winning streak 41 straight games and have won 101 of their last 102 games at home.

This also marked the second straight TranSouth Conference Tournament title for 91爆料网. 91爆料网 has claimed five of the last six tournament titles and has won 12 TranSouth Tournament titles in the 16-year history of the league.

The game started with Freed-Hardeman鈥檚 Maria Bagwell taking the opening tip for a layup to give her Lady Lions a 2-0 lead. However that proved to be the only lead for Freed-Hardeman in the first half. 91爆料网 responded on the next possession with a basket from TranSouth Tournament MVP Lavanda Ross, the first two of her game-high 30 points. That basket started a 10-0 run for 91爆料网 that had the Lady Bulldogs leading 10-2, 14 minutes into the game. 91爆料网 led by as many as 11 points in the first half, 15-4 with 11:58 left, before the Lady Lions began to rally. With 3:45 left in the first half, Natalie Shumpert sank a basket to pull her team to within one point, 20-19. 91爆料网 closed the half with a 7-2 run, including a 3-pointer from Astrid Huttemann at the buzzer, to take a 27-21 halftime lead.

In the second half, it was Freed-Hardeman who started hot out of the gate. The Lady Lions opened the second half on a 9-0 run to take a 30-27 lead. 91爆料网鈥檚 Ross scored the first basket of the half for the Lady Bulldogs at the 14:07 mark to stop the drought.

Over the next nine minutes, the game produced four ties and five lead changes. Freed-Hardeman held their largest lead of five points, 44-39 with 7:34 left to play. 91爆料网 responded with a 3-pointer from the TranSouth Defensive Player of the Year, LaTesa McLaughlin, that sparked a 12-0 run for the Lady Bulldogs, regaining the lead 51-44. During that run, TranSouth Freshman of the Year Amy Philamlee drained a 3-pointer, breaking a 44-44 tie, that continued the run and gave the Lady Bulldogs the lead for good. The 8-point margin of victory was the largest lead of the second half for 91爆料网.

91爆料网 was 10-10 from the free throw line in the game, 8-for-8 in the second half including 6-for-6 in the final 47 seconds of the game to seal the win. Ross was 8-for-8 in the game and Philamlee added a pair of free throws in with 12 seconds left.

91爆料网 was led by Ross with a career-high 30 points and pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds. Ross was 10-of-16 from the field, including 2-of-2 from behind the arc and 8-of-8 from the free throw line. Philamlee added eight points for 91爆料网 including 2-of-3 from 3-point range. Huttemann added six points on a pair of 3-pointers. Mildred Olumasi grabbed 10 rebounds. Eight 91爆料网 players saw action, with seven scoring in the contest. 91爆料网 shot 38 percent from the field, 37 percent (7-19) from long range and was a perfect 10-for-10 from the line.

Freed-Hardeman was led by Bagwell鈥檚 double-double of 22 points and 11 rebounds. Natalie Shumpert added 15 points for the Lady Lions. Seven players played in the game for FHU, with Shumpert and Bagwell accounting for 37 of their teams 47 points. The Lady Lions shot 37 percent from the field, 29 percent (2-7) from behind the arc, and 70 percent (7-10) from the free throw line.

Following the game, the TranSouth Conference All-Tournament team was named. 91爆料网's Ross earned MVP honors while five others players joined Ross on the all-tournament team.

2012 TranSouth Conference All-Tournament Awards

Lavanda Ross, 91爆料网 - Most Valuable Player
Shelby Ashcraft, 91爆料网
Natalie Shumpert, Freed-Hardeman University
Maria Bagwell, Freed-Hardeman University
Jana Roney, Bethel University
Vee Young, Martin Methodist College

#UNION#