Lady Pirates Fall to UNCG in Tourney Title Game
November 30, 2002 | Women's Basketball
GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Jacinda Lambert scored 18 points to lead UNC Greensboro past East Carolina, 85-62, in the championship game of the 2002 UNCG Airport Marriott Classic Saturday afternoon.
"After our slow start yesterday, I thought we were calm, under control and ready to play today," said UNCG head coach Lynne Agee. "We got tremendous efforts from Jacinda Lambert. She played amazing in every category. She looked like the Southern Conference Preseason Player of the Year."
Lambert was 8-for-11 from the floor in 26 minutes of action. The junior and the rest of her Spartan teammates took control in the second-half. Lambert scored 12 of her 18 after intermission.
UNCG, which saw a 12-point first-half lead evaporate early in the second half, put the game away midway through the second half. After Tali Robich buried her fourth 3-point field goal of the game to give ECU a 44-43 lead -- its first since 12:12 of the first half when the Lady Pirates led 18-17 -- the Spartans exploded on a 16-1 run to grab a 14-point lead, 59-45. UNCG kept the relentless pressure pushing the lead to as many as 23 points.
UNCG's Jennifer Hart poured in 17 points on 6-of-9 from the floor, including her first career 3-point field goal. Hart also grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds. Amanda Eaton rounded out the double-figure scorers with 10 points. Hart and Nicole Murray joined Lambert on the all-tournament squad.
Robich led the Lady Pirates with 15 points, including 4-for-6 from behind the 3-point arc. East Carolina registered three other players in double figures. Kris May Richardson scored 14, Jennifer Jackson chipped in 12, while Alisa Bishop added 11. Robich was the lone East Carolina player on the all-tournament squad.
The game seemed destined to be a nip-and-tuck effort as the Lady Pirates and Spartans went back-and-forth over the first 10 minutes with the lead changing hands seven times. After Robich buried her second 3-pointer of the opening half to bring East Carolina within two points, 24-22, UNCG responded with a 10-0 run, giving UNCG its largest lead of the half, 34-22.
The Lady Pirates, now 1-3, return home to host NC State on Tuesday night at 7 p.m.
