IT'S ON
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28th Annual CIAA Women’s Basketball Tournament
Monday, February 25, 2002
Lady Golden Bulls Win in Dramatic Fashion
RALEIGH, NC –The Lady Golden Bulls of Johnson C. Smith University and the Lady Bulldogs of Bowie State University battled it out for 45 minutes in the opening round of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Women’s Basketball Tournament before the Lady Golden Bulls finally prevailed, 75-71.
The game was tied at 65 in overtime when Lauren Goss hit two-consecutive layups to put the Lady Golden Bulls (19-8) up by four. The Lady Bulldogs (13-14) were able to cut the lead to two points three times, but could never get over the hump as Joi Surratt and Blanche Doctor hit two free throws apiece in the final eight seconds.
The Lady Bulldogs led by 16 points with under 10 minutes left in regulation, but saw the lead evaporate to nothing as the Lady Golden Bulls used an 18-2 run to tie the score at 61 with 2:35 left in regulation. Allyson Hardy hit two free throws to give the Bulldogs a 63-61 lead with two minutes to play, but Surrat answered with a jump shot with 29 seconds to go. Hardy’s potential game-winner rimmed out with two seconds to play and the teams went into overtime.
“The team showed a lot of character coming back from the 16-point deficit,” said interim head coach Ed Joyner, Jr., who was filling in for Vanessa Taylor who was home in Georgia because of a death in the family. “We have three more days and three more games,” he concluded.
The Lady Golden hit three of their five 3-pointers during their 18-2 run which helped open up their inside game. Lauren Goss responded by tying with teammate Surrat with a game-high 20 points, most coming on layups or putbacks. Goss also hauled in 11 rebounds. Blanche Doctor scored 18 points and was 9 of 10 from the free throw line.
The young Lady Bulldogs were led by the 2002 CIAA Rookie of the Year Hardy who scored 18 points and dished out six assists. Mona-Gail Baker added 16 points and freshman Rachill Robinson chipped in with 10.
Neither team led by more than four points in the first half until the Bulldogs used an 8-2 run to take a 30-20 lead with 3:42 left in the half. Baker hit a 3-pointer and converted a conventional 3-pointer during the run.
The Lady Golden Bulls didn’t let the game get out of hand as they quickly responded with a 7-0 run of their own with Surrat netting five of the points. The Lady Bulldogs would end the half on a 6-2 run to push the lead to 36-29 at the break.
The Lady Golden Bulls will now face the Western Division champion Lady Eagles of North Carolina Central University at 9 p.m. tomorrow.