Vanguard falters in quarters

JACKSON, Tenn. — No. 3-ranked Vanguard University was outscored, 10-0, in the final 91 seconds and lost, 65-60, to Lee University of Tennessee in the quarterfinals of the NAIA women’s basketball tournament Saturday at Oman Arena.

It was the second straight elimination in the quarterfinals for Vanguard (27-2), which saw its 18-game winning streak and season ended.

The Lions, national champions in 2008, rallied from a 32-27 halftime deficit to tie it at 51 with five minutes left on a three-pointer by senior Jaclyn Blied.

A field goal by senior All-American Bridgette Reyes put the Lions up, 53-51, with 4:25 left and a three-pointer by senior Diana Neves, who had a team-high 17 points off the bench, upped the lead to five with 3:18 remaining.

It was 58-51 Vanguard after two free throws by junior Molly Pfohl with 2:46 left.

But 5-foot-7 senior guard Allison Rader single-handedly outscored the Lions, 14-2, the rest of the way to help the No. 10-ranked Flames (30-5) advance to Monday’s semifinals.

A Rader basket put Lee ahead for good, 61-60, with 51 seconds left.

Reyes turned the ball over on the ensuing possession and, after Rader netted a pair of free throws with 31 seconds left, Neves missed a would-be game-tying three-point attempt with four seconds left.

Rader, who finished with 25 points, was then fouled and nailed the door shut with two free throws.

Reyes had 15 points and led the Lions with four assists and four steals. The Golden State Athletic Conference Player of the Year averaged 16 points in three tournament games. She made 19 of 57 field-goal tries in the tournament (33.3%) and was just two of 10 from three-point range. She shot 51.2% from the field and 49.2% from three-point range in the regular season.

Pfohl, a center who fouled out her previous two tournament games, both overtime victories, had 10 points and a team-best nine rebounds Saturday.

Vanguard was 21 of 65 from the field (32.3%) and lost the rebounding battle, 39-32. The Lions were outrebounded, 130-113, in the tournament.

It was the ninth straight season Coach Russ Davis’ Lions had advanced to at least the quarterfinals. They are 25-8 in the tournament in those nine seasons.

NAIA Tournament

Quarterfinal

Lee 65, Vanguard 60

Lee – Rader 25, McKinnon 15, Nelson 15, Eldridge 3, Zimmerman 3, Spann 2, Addison 2.

3-pt. goals – Rader 3, Eldridge 1, Zimmerman 1.

VU – Copeland 4, Pfohl 10, Reyes 15, Boyd 5, Blied 3, Neves 17, Johnson 4, Halberg 2.

3-pt. goals – Neves 3, Reyes 1, Blied 1, Boyd 1.

Fouled out – Blied.

Halftime – Lee, 32-27.