NAIA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT:Besse comes alive, prevents Vanguard upset

JACKSON, Tenn. — Some might have called it a first-round scare.

But after the No. 1-seeded Vanguard University women’s basketball team outscored Harris-Stowe of St. Louis, Mo., 12-4, in the final 3:46 to earn a 74-64 victory in the first round of the NAIA Tournament at Oman Arena Wednesday, Lions Coach Russ Davis and his players said they would prefer to think of it as a first-round primer.

“I’m really excited we got the chance to play a really good team like that, because I’d much rather play a team that makes us play 40 minutes and makes you tougher for your next opponent,” said Davis, whose Lions (29-0) will meet Oklahoma City (27-7) in the second round Friday at 8:45 a.m.

Davis said he was not surprised that the Hornets (13-19), who created a buzz in the small afternoon crowd by staying within 33-28 at halftime and closing to within 62-60 with 4:13 left, nearly stung his squad.

“After watching them on tape for five minutes [in preparation], my first thought was, ‘How did that team lose 16 games?’ ” Davis said. “My second thought was, ‘We went 28-0 and our reward is to get to play this team?’ I don’t think that team was the No. 32 seed.”

Harris-Stowe, which followed last year’s 1-30 campaign by opening 2-14 this season, came in on a six-game winning streak. It capped that streak by, as the fourth-place team, winning the American Midwest Conference Tournament to earn the school’s first NAIA Tournament berth.

Harris-Stowe Coach Chris Lewis said the team’s rugged schedule, which included eight games against NCAA Division II schools, two of which were ranked No. 1 at the time they played, left his team postseason ready.

“We played the toughest schedule in the country,” Lewis said. “Our nonconference record [2-13] wasn’t very good and our conference record [8-6 in the regular season] was average. But these kids never stopped believing in our vision that we can make it to the national tournament and play with anybody in the country.”

The Lions, of course, aren’t just anybody, and when back-to-back three-pointers by Vanguard’s Lacey Burns sparked a 10-0 run early that turned a 6-2 deficit into a 12-6 cushion, it appeared as if the heavy favorites were off and running.

Vanguard, who leads the nation in scoring margin (29.5 points per game), defeated Texas College, 91-46, in the first round last year.

Vanguard, led by 2005-06 NAIA Player of the Year Kelly Schmidt, who had 11 rebounds and eight points at halftime, pushed the lead to 25-14.

And when this year’s NAIA Player of the Year, Jessica Richter, hit a three-pointer to cap a 4-0 second-half start for the Lions, the Vanguard lead was 37-28.

But the scrappy underdogs, who chose to focus their defensive attention on the perimeter, kept plugging, until even the most ardent Vanguard supporters likely allowed themselves to think about the unthinkable: a first-round exit.

But 6-2 Vanguard senior center Rachel Besse, who had one rebound, five turnovers and missed both of her free throws in the first half — and missed eight layups in 29 minutes — suddenly began finishing inside in the final 14:36.

Schmidt also stepped up down the stretch, producing seven points and five rebounds in the final 4:33 on her way to 19 points, 16 rebounds and four assists.

“I called a timeout for myself, by asking to be subbed out [in the first minute of the second half],” said Besse, who was admittedly disappointed in her play during last year’s NAIA Tournament, when the top-seeded Lions were upset by Lubbock Christian in the semifinals.

“I was frustrated and I knew if I stayed in, I would just get more frustrated and it would snowball.”

With the help of some sterling entry passes by Schmidt, Burns (two assists) and senior point guard Tiari Goold (a game-high 10 assists), Besse scored 18 of her game-high 26 points after intermission. She finished with 10 rebounds.

The right-handed Besse’s left-handed layin with 6:20 left halted a near-three-minute scoreless streak for the Lions, upping their lead to 59-52.

Harris-Stowe scored the next six points to come within one, before Schmidt converted a three-point play with 4:33 left.

After a Hornet jumper trimmed the lead to 62-60, Besse was fouled and made both free throws for a four-point lead with 3:46 left.

From then on, it was either Schmidt or Besse scoring for the Lions, until Richter sank a layup with 10 seconds left.

“I’m really happy how Rachel responded,” Davis said. “She struggled, offensively, missing a lot of chippies right around the basket, and got really frustrated with herself. I knew I didn’t have to get on Rachel, because she was yelling at herself out there. It’s a good thing she didn’t have a stick, or she would have been whipping herself, too. I was just trying to give her confidence and telling her she could do it. She made some big shots for us, down the stretch.”

Davis praised Schmidt for her vital production, and also singled out Goold, who came in leading the NAIA Division I in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.40), helping Vanguard lead the nation as a team (1.25).

“Tiari got pressure for 40 minutes out there, against some pretty quick, athletic guards,” Davis said. “[Hornets junior] Chanel Ross is leading the nation in steals [6.0] and she only got two today. None of those were against Tiari. For Tiari to go against that kind of pressure and have 10 assists and no turnovers, that’s remarkable. I’m really, really proud of her. She stepped up and she made a big difference.

“Sometimes we forget about how important our quarterback is out there,” Davis said. “But we wouldn’t’ be discussing [the victory afterward] if Tiari weren’t out there playing for the Vanguard Lions today.”

Richter finished with 17 points, six rebounds and a team-high two steals, while Burns added eight points.

“Rachel stepped up huge tonight,” Richter said. “She never quit posting up hard, she fought through it and came through when we needed her.”

Vanguard had 13 turnovers (seven by Besse), to the Hornets’ 12, and the Lions won the rebounding battle, 34-28.

Vanguard held the Hornets to 37.1% shooting from the field (26 for 70).

NAIA Division I TournamentHarris-Stowe -- Stevens 19, Ross 9, Anderson 8, Roberts 7, Pettis 10, Jackson 6, Weaver 5.

First round

Vanguard 74, Harris-Stowe 64

3-pt. goals -- Pettis 2, Weaver 1.

Fouled out -- Lang.

Technicals -- None.

Vanguard -- Besse 26, Schmidt 19, Richter 17, Burns 8, Goold 2, Rinke 2.

3-pt. goals -- Richter 3, Burns 2.

Fouled out -- None.

Technicals -- None.

Halftime -- 33-28, VU.