ALLEN, JACKSON LEAD COUGARS INTO ELITE
EIGHT
NEW YORK (3/9/07) - Senior forward Ebony Allen (Camden, N.J.)
had a double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds and sophomore
guard Ebony Jackson (Newark, N.J.) scored 17 points, including
eight points in the final two minutes, as the Kean University
women's basketball team advances to the NCAA Division III Elite
Eight with a 68-60 victory over Randolph-Macon College on Friday
evening at New York University.
The Cougars, who are one win away from advancing to the Final
Four for just the second time in program history, improve to 27-3
this season and tie the 1986-87 Final Four squad for the most wins
in school history. They face New York University in the sectional
final on Saturday, March 10, at 7 p.m., at New York University for
a ticket to the Final Four in Springfield, Mass.
After trailing by five points (11-6) with 13:11 left in the
opening half, the Cougars used a 14-4 run over the next six minutes
to build a five point lead at 20-15 with just under seven minutes
left to play in the first half. Senior forward Chi Clark
(Maplewood, N.J.) tallied six points in the run, while freshman
guard Alysha Taylor (Galloway, N.J.) and Allen each tallied four
points.
The Yellow Jackets regained the lead at 25-24 on a three-pointer
by junior guard Nicole Childress (Fredericksburg, Va.) before the
Cougars scored the final four points of the half to take a 32-28
lead into halftime.
In the opening half, Allen hit 5-of-9 shots from the floor on
the strength of six offensive boards as she had 11 points and nine
rebounds at the break. The Yellow Jackets were paced by sophomore
forward Lindsay Riesbeck (Newport News, Va.), who had eight points,
six rebounds and four blocks in the first half.
The Cougars extended the lead to eight points on a pair of
occasions midway through the second half, however Randolph-Macon
put together an 11-2 run to take its first lead of the second half
at 50-49 with 8:01 remaining in the game as Riesbeck scored six
straight points to regain the lead.
After the two teams traded baskets, Clark gave the Cougars the
lead for good on a pair of free throws with 4:23 remaining. Kean
built the advantage back to five points and the Yellow Jackets
could get no closer than three points the rest of the way, as Kean
connected on 5-of-6 free throws down the stretch to seal the
victory.
For the game, Jackson added seven rebounds and three assists,
while Clark added 14 points and five offensive boards off the
bench. Sophomore guard Melissa Beyruti (Union City, N.J.) was held
in check by the Yellow Jackets, as she had just seven points and
one three-pointers on 3-of-14 shooting.
The Yellow Jackets, who have advanced to three straight Sweet
Sixteens, were led by Riesbeck, who had game-highs of 23 points, 13
rebounds and six blocks. Senior guards Salem Shaffer (Hampton, Va.)
and Kristen Morgan (Brigantine, N.J.) closed out their collegiate
careers with 14 points and 11 points, respectively.
