The Cinderella story for the Ouachita Baptist University women’s basketball team came to a disappointing end Monday night as the Lady Tigers were edged by No. 24 Delta State, 50-49, in the NCAA Division II South Region Championship game at the Walter Sillers Coliseum.
Delta State trailed by as many as nine in the second half, but battled back and got a Courtney Wilson putback with 7.2 remaining to give the Lady Statesmen the 50-49 lead. A’Laeshia Adams went the length of the floor with time ticking down and appeared fouled on the play as she put up a shot at the buzzer, but it was off the mark, giving Delta State the win.
Adams led Ouachita (23-9) with 14 points, while Angela Colliver had 10 as the Lady Tigers were 15-of-45 (33 percent) from the field and 16-of-19 (84 percent) from the foul line.
The Lady Tigers, who used a ferocious defense, began the game on an 8-2 run after Adams completed a 3-point play with 17:28 remaining in the opening half. A 3-pointer by Colliver extended the margin to 11-2 with 16:27 left to force Delta State coach Sandra Rushing to call a quick 30-second timeout.
Delta State responded by using an 8-2 run to close the gap to 13-10 after a LaMaesha McAdory 3-point play with 13:01 left.
The Lady Statesmen took their first lead of the night on a pair of free throws by McAdory with 9:43 remaining in the half.
Delta State led 22-19 with 4:29 remaining in the opening half and Ouachita looked to keep the game close as Maranda Parker sank a pair at the free-throw line to cut the deficit to 22-21.
Ouachita trailed by five, 27-22, but used a small 6-0 run, capped by a pair of Parker free throws to grab a 28-26 lead with 1:11 left in the half, but Bug Cooper’s bucket with 25 seconds gave Delta State a 29-28 advantage with 31 seconds remaining.
The Lady Tigers, who used an 8-2 run during the final 3:45 of the first half despite not having a field goal in the final 7:20 of the first half, got a pair of free throws by Adams with 13 seconds left and the defense held as Cooper’s final two attempts were off the mark, giving Ouachita a 30-29 halftime lead.
An Adams 3-pointer with 16:47 remaining in the contest halted the Lady Tigers’ string of going 10-plus minutes without a bucket from the floor as Ouachita took a 33-29 advantage.
Adams took over during the next two minutes, helping the Lady Tigers to a 40-33 lead after completing a 3-point play with 14:04 left as Ouachita used a 10-4 run to start the second half. The run continued with again outstanding defensive play, which led to Beulah Osueke’s assist to Haley Griffin to give the Lady Tigers a 42-33 advantage with 13:07 remaining.
A long jumper and layup by Shameka Russell helped Delta State trim the deficit to 46-41 with 4:54 remaining. A foul by Griffin put Courtney Wilson at the charity stripe where she sank the pair to cut the margin to 46-43 with 4:13 left.
A Cooper layup cut the Ouachita lead to 46-45 with 3:13 remaining and she was fouled on the next Lady Statesmen offensive possession with 2:35 left. Cooper missed the pair to keep the Lady Tigers in front, 46-45.
A bucket by Colliver gave Ouachita a 48-46 lead with 1:59 remaining, which snapped a string of going more than seven minutes without a basket from the field.
After a timeout by Delta State with 1:09 left, Russell scored on a putback with 48.6 seconds remaining to tie the game at 48.
On the next offensive possession for Ouachita, Adams was fouled with 38.4 seconds left. She made 1-of-2 to give the Lady Tigers a 49-48 lead. Delta State took a pair of timeouts, one with 22.7 remaining and its final with 13.8 left, setting the stage for one final shot at victory.
McAdory’s shot as the shot clock expired was off the mark, but Wilson got the rebound and scored on the putback with 7.2 remaining to give Delta State a 50-49 lead.
Adams attempt at the buzzer was no good giving the Lady Statesmen the regional championship.
Wilson led Delta State with 10 points and 10 rebounds for the double-double. The Lady Statesmen were 20-of-50 (40 percent) shooting and 9-of-17 (53 percent) at the charity stripe.
NOTES: Third meeting between the two Gulf South Conference West Division schools this season…Delta State took first game 66-50 at home on Jan. 10, but Ouachita defeated the Lady Statesmen, 64-58, on Feb. 5 at Bill Vining Arena…Third straight ranked opponent for Ouachita (#18 Fort Valley State, #25 Tampa and #24 Delta State.
All-South Region Tournament Team
Hailee Sulivan – Tampa
Bug Cooper – Delta State
A’Laeshia Adams – Ouachita Baptist
Gabby Coleman – Ouachita Baptist
Veronica Walker – Delta State (Most Outstanding Player)
