Events > Play by Play

Lady Bulldog Basketball vs. Langston University (Okla.)

Wed, March 19, 2003  8:30 p.m.  Jackson, TN
Oman Arena
Â鶹ÊÓƵ Result: W 58-48

Â鶹ÊÓƵ

Division I Women's Basketball Championship Information

March 19, 2003
Contact: Roger Redmon
NAIA Media Operations
(731) 265-2016

Â鶹ÊÓƵ (Tennessee) Holds Off Stubborn Langston (Oklahoma) 58-48
to Advance in NAIA Women’s Tourney

JACKSON, Tenn. – Â鶹ÊÓƵ (Tennessee) University (34-2), the top seed in the fourth quarter of the NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship Tournament, held off No. 8-seed Langston University (Oklahoma) to post a 58-48 first-round victory Wednesday night at Oman Arena.

After Langston (25-9) scored six straight points to tie the game at 35-all early in the second half, Â鶹ÊÓƵ junior guard Jessica Henson keyed a 9-0 Lady Bulldog run by scoring five points and dishing out a pair of assists. The Lady Lions crept back to within three points (48-45) with 6:34 remaining on a driving lay-up by freshman guard Natoshia Rouse, but the Lady Bulldogs answered with eight quick points to turn back Langston’s upset bid. Six-foot-three senior center Allison Harrison converted on back-to-back trips to ignite Â鶹ÊÓƵ’s surge.

Â鶹ÊÓƵ survived despite shooting 39.7 percent (23-of-58) from the field and 3-of-16 (18.8 percent) from the three-point line. Langston was 18-of-62 (29 percent) from the field, and the Lady Lions were 5-of-22 (22.7 percent) from behind the three-point arc. Langston won the rebound battle, 44-39, but the Lady Lions committed 21 turnovers.

Six-foot-two junior forward Ginger Bryant led Â鶹ÊÓƵ with 17 points and seven rebounds. Henson finished with 14 points, and Harrison added 11. Freshman point guard Jennifer Henson went scoreless in the game, but handed out a game-high five assists while committing just one turnover.

Langston’s 6-foot-3 junior center, Cynthia Hogg, posted a double-double with ten points and ten rebounds. Senior forward Kayla Smith narrowly missed reaching a double-double. She finished with nine points and nine rebounds.

Â鶹ÊÓƵ advanced to Friday’s second round where the Lady Bulldogs will tangle with the winner of the Georgetown College (Kentucky) – Oklahoma Christian University game at 8 p.m. CST Friday, March 21 at Oman Arena.

 -NAIA-

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