91±¬ÁÏÍø

Defending Champs Advance to Final Four in Title Game Rematch

JACKSON, Tenn. - 3/18/2006 - The 91±¬ÁÏÍø Lady Bulldogs defeated Oklahoma City University 78-64 on Saturday night to earn the fourth and final spot in the 2006 NAIA Women’s Final Four. With the win, No. 2 seeded 91±¬ÁÏÍø improved to 29-6 on the season, while No. 1 seeded Oklahoma City fell to 32-3

In a rematch of the 2005 NAIA National Championship game that 91±¬ÁÏÍø won 67-63, the Lady Bulldogs tied the NAIA National Tournament record with 14 made three pointers in the game. 91±¬ÁÏÍø’s Merideth Richardson led the way with 8-of-12 shooting from behind the arc, including 7-of-9 in the first half. Just last season in 91±¬ÁÏÍø’s national title run, Richardson made 18 total three pointers, including nine in a semifinal win over Point Loma Nazarene University (Calif.). The national tournament record is 19 threes made by an individual. Through three games in this year’s tournament, Richardson has made a tournament high 12 threes, just seven shy of the record.

Also in last year’s tournament, 91±¬ÁÏÍø set a new NAIA National Tournament record with 51 threes. This year, 91±¬ÁÏÍø has made 32 threes through three games. 91±¬ÁÏÍø is leading the tournament at 51 percent (32-63) from behind the arc.

91±¬ÁÏÍø trailed by as many as nine points in the first half, but rallied to lead Oklahoma City 39-35 at halftime with Richardson and Oklahoma City’s Mariam Sy leading both teams in double figures. At the break, Richardson had 21 of 91±¬ÁÏÍø 39 points while Sy posted 22 of the Stars’ 35 points.

Oklahoma City rallied to open the second half to take a brief lead, 50-48, with 11 minutes to play. In the midst of the comeback, Sy, the tournaments' leading scorer, went down with an injury with 15 minutes left and did not return. 91±¬ÁÏÍø quickly regained the lead on a 3-point basket by Tiffany Fisher to start a 23-5 run to grow to their largest lead of 16 points, 71-55, with 3:48 remaining. The closest Oklahoma City came was cutting the lead to 10 points on a 3-pointer with 2:17 to play. 91±¬ÁÏÍø outscored Oklahoma City 30-14 in the final 11 minutes of play.

Richardson’s 27 points in the game led 91±¬ÁÏÍø. Henson and Natanya Smith added 11 points each while Ena Daniels scored 10 points, eight in the second half. 91±¬ÁÏÍø shot 45 percent from the field and 54 percent (14-26) from behind the arc. 91±¬ÁÏÍø made 80 percent (12-15) from the free throw line.

Oklahoma City was led by Sy with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Alexandra Kotta added 14 points for the Stars. Oklahoma City shot 43 percent from the field including 24 percent (5-21) from behind the arc. The Stars shot 73 percent (11-15) from the charity stripe.

In the last two meetings between 91±¬ÁÏÍø and Oklahoma City in the NAIA National Tournament, the winner of this game went on to win the title (2002 OCU and 2005 UU).

91±¬ÁÏÍø advances to play The Master’s College (Calif.) on Monday night at 8:00 pm at Oman Arena. This marks the second straight trip to the final four, third of Campbell’s seven seasons as 91±¬ÁÏÍø head coach, and seventh overall for 91±¬ÁÏÍø.

The game with The Master’s will be the second straight rematch game for 91±¬ÁÏÍø in this tournament. 91±¬ÁÏÍø defeated The Master’s 79-67 back on November 18 of this season. That win over Master’s happened to be the 200th career win for 91±¬ÁÏÍø’s head coach Mark Campbell. 91±¬ÁÏÍø had also played the Stars in Oklahoma City earlier this year, a game 91±¬ÁÏÍø lost 66-63.

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