NAIA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT:Lions return to their game

JACKSON, Tenn. — Its plane landed in Tennessee on Saturday, but the Vanguard University women’s basketball team Coach Russ Davis said he brought from California finally showed up on the court Friday.

The result was a hard-fought 66-57 victory over Oklahoma City University in the second round of the NAIA Tournament at Oman Arena.

The win propelled the top-seeded Lions (30-0) into today’s quarterfinals against Trevecca Nazarene of nearby Nashville, Tenn. at noon. Trevecca (27-6), ranked No. 9 in the final NAIA Division I poll, defeated No. 11 Carroll, 57-55, Friday.

The Lions pounced on Oklahoma City early with smothering defensive pressure and aggressive offense that created leads of 16-4, 20-5, 25-7, and 30-10.

“I was really happy with our energy level and our intensity,” Davis said of his team’s inspired start. “When we came out today, we just got on ‘em and that’s the team that I saw this year. That’s the team that went through our conference [20-0 in the Golden State Athletic Conference regular season and 3-0 in the conference tournament]; the team that came back here earlier in the year and played great against Union and Lambuth and Freed-Hardeman [in the Rotary Classic at Union University in Jackson]. It’s all about us being aggressive. When we’re not aggressive, we’re not he same team.

“We flustered them I think, offensively,” Davis added. “It was hard for them to get into a rhythm.”

The Stars (27-8) had nine of their 22 turnovers in the first 10 minutes and made just three of their first 14 field-goal attempts.

They finally settled down with about eight minutes to go in the first half, but Jessica Richter, who finished with 14 first-half points for the Lions, converted a three-point play near the end of the half to give the designated hosts a 33-16 lead at intermission.

But Oklahoma City, which played in the NAIA Tournament title game for seven straight seasons from 1999 to 2005, winning four national titles, opened the second half on a 10-2 run. The Stars aligned largely behind senior guard Alexandra Kotta, who made five straight field-goal tries, including four three-pointers, in a six-minute stretch to help her team close to within 37-35 with 10:51 left.

But a three-point play by senior center Rachel Besse and subsequent three-pointers by junior reserve Lindsey Rinke and senior Lacey Burns, helped Vanguard reestablish control, 47-39, with 8:12 left.

Oklahoma City made one final run to pare the deficit to 56-51 with 2:30 remaining, but the Lions converted 10 of 12 free throws in the final 2:14 to advance.

Senior Kelly Schmidt was eight of 10 from the foul line down the stretch, 12 of 14 for the game, on her way to 16 points. She also added a team-high seven rebounds, as well as four assists, one steal and one blocked shot.

Richter, the NAIA and GSAC Player of the Year, who was second in NAIA Division I in scoring with 21.2 points per game during the regular season, led all scorers with 26. She also had a game-high six steals and added six rebounds.

Rinke, who was two for two from three-point range, finished with eight points in what Davis called “her best game in a Vanguard uniform.” She also had two rebounds and three steals.

Davis, once again, credited the play of senior point guard Tiari Goold on both ends of the floor. Goold had six points, five assists and five turnovers. She was credited with one steal officially, but actually made four.

“I thought Tiari played huge again,” Davis said. “Her competitiveness stepped up. She and [Richter] got on a run [defensively] and they just started taking the ball from people. It was kind of fun to watch.

“And, obviously Kelly’s Kelly,” Davis added. “We tried to design a play to get her the ball late in the game, because we wanted her to get to the free-throw line.”

Besse and Burns combined for eight points and five rebounds, while Davis said senior Andrea Jacobson (two points and two boards) provided 11 quality minutes in relief of Besse, who battled foul trouble.

Kotta, who had just three first-half points (on one-of-four shooting), rode her aforementioned hot streak to 17 points. But she missed her final seven field-goal tries as the Stars shot 36.4% from the field (20 for 55).

Vanguard finished 20 of 50 from the field and committed 17 turnovers. The Lions lost the rebounding battle, 42-33.

“I thought in the second half, we just played with so much more purpose and we played a higher quality of basketball,” Oklahoma City Coach Rob Edmisson said. “We just dug too deep of a hole.

“But credit Vanguard,” Edmisson said. “You don’t get to be 30-0 and No. 1 in the country without having good players. They’re pretty good. They have two All-Americans [including Schmidt] and a Player of the Year on that team. We didn’t have any All-Americans or any Players of the Year on our team.”

Junior Viola Beybeyah had 14 of her team-high 18 points after halftime for Oklahoma City.

NAIA TournamentOklahoma City -- Beybeyah 18, Kotta 17, Vynuchalova 12, Johnson 4, Ledbetter 2, Brown 3, Wilson 1.

Second round

Vanguard 66,

Oklahoma City 57

3-pt. goals -- Kotta 4.

Fouled out -- Ledbetter, Vynuchalova.

Technicals -- None.

Vanguard -- Richter 26, Schmidt 16, Goold 6, Besse 5, Burns 3, Rinke 8, Jacobson 2.

3-pt. goals -- Richter 2, Rinke 2, Burns 1.

Fouled out -- Besse.

Technicals -- None.

Halftime -- 33-16, VU.