Lady Pirates Advance To Championship Game
November 28, 2003 | Women's Basketball
GREENVILLE, N.C. -- The East Carolina women's basketball team advanced to the championship game of the Lady Pirate Invitational after defeating Cleveland State, 65-55, inside Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum Friday afternoon.
The Lady Pirates (2-1) jumped out to an early 14-5 lead when Samantha Pankey recovered a loose ball and found Courtney Willis under the basket for two of her 19 points. ECU would increase its first half led to 12 points behind one of five Jennifer Jackson three-pointers on the day, and took a 34-26 lead at intermission.
In the first two minutes of the second half, the Vikings (1-2) cut the Lady Pirate lead to two, when Erin Martin was fouled by LaToya Horton in the free throw lane.
Over the next nine minutes of play, ECU's Jackson got the lead back up to 10 points after hitting one of her four consecutive three-pointers. She would finish the game with a team-high 21 points and collected 11 rebounds.
The Vikings made one last run at ECU cutting the led to two, 57-55, behind a Shannon Sword three-pointer. But the Lady Pirates defense was to much as they held Cleveland State in check for the last 3:56, to take home a 65-55 victory.
"I think the defensive effort was pretty good today," said ECU head coach Sharon Baldwin-Tener. "We played hard, especially at the end when we made some stops and came up with some key rebounds. I think that was crucial for us. We held them to 55 points and forced them into some bad shots. The thing that I am disappointed with is we did not finish it off and we let them get to the offensive boards to much."
In addition to her 19 points, ECU's Willis also grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds on the way to recording her second consecutive double-double of the season. Junior guard Viola Cooper poured in 12 points, going 2-of-5 from the three-point arc. For the Vikings, Ashley Schrock scored a team-high 14 points, while Sword added 13 and Neidermeyer collected 10.
The Lady Pirates will face Ball State in the championship game tomorrow night, with a 6 p.m. tip-off scheduled. Ball State advanced to the championship game after a 64-60 win over Eastern Washington in the first game of the Lady Pirate Invitational.
East Carolina v. Cleveland State
Nov. 28, 2003
Postgame Quotes
East Carolina Head Coach Sharon Baldwin-Tener
On ECU's defensive effort:
"I think the defensive effort was pretty good today. We played hard, especially at the end when we made some stops and came up with some key rebounds. I think that was crucial for us. We held them to 55 points and forced them into some bad shots. The thing that I am disappointed with is we did not finish it off and we let them get to the offensive boards to much."
On Cleveland State's defense:
"There were several times that I think we were getting a little frustrated when they got a little close. We through up some quick shots, probably some rush shots with people running at us, instead of making one more pass and getting an easier shot. We also missed some shots right around the basket during that time that we should have been able to convert."
On their defensive effort:
"Their zone defense was very effective against us. I think we did a lot of standing instead of being aggressive against their zone. It is something that we have seen in every game and something that we will continue to see until we are successful against it. We've got to be more aggressive. Our post players have got to get involved and our guards have to be able to hit the gaps, pitch the ball and be more aggressive."
On missing shots when up by two:
"I think it deflates everyone a little bit when you get the ball in the block, get a good shot and you miss, or get an offensive rebound and miss. Those are the kind of shots that we have to convert in order to be successful."
On offensive rebounds:
"I think overall that we did a pretty good job on the boards. We did out rebound them, but whenever we went to the zone, we were not able to box out and get to the boards as well as we did when we were in man-to-man. On the drive when we got broke down on the rotation to help they usually got the offensive board. Those are two things that we really got to work on."
On Sam Pankey's defense:
"Sam brings a lot of intensity and she is a competitor that plays hard all the time. Now if she can get a little smarter defensively, know when she needs to pull off and know when she needs to be up in pressure, it will make our team defense a lot better."
East Carolina v. Cleveland State
Nov. 28, 2003
Postgame Notes
