No. 3 Wiley (Texas) Survives No. 6 Mobile (Ala.), 74-72
Mar 20, 2014
FRANKFORT, Ky. – (Box Score) Wiley (Texas) held off an upset bid and a potential second overtime game Thursday morning, edging sixth-seed Mobile (Ala.), 74-72, in the second game of day two action at the 34th annual NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship.
Wiley (28-4) advances to play Shawnee State University in the second round Friday at 4:30 p.m. EDT in the Frankfort Convention Center. Shawnee State, a No. 7 seed, used overtime in the first game of the day to upset second-seed Oklahoma Baptist, 94-91.
The Lady Wildcats needed less than a minute to erase a nine-point deficit to tie the game at 60 with 8:08 to play. Mobile (23-9) managed to maintain a one or two possession lead until Wiley's Kayla Brown tied, 72-72, with 1:26 left.
After two missed 3s by the Rams, Mobile's Jakela Johnson was called for an offensive foul, sending Alexis Bernstine to the free throw line. She hit the back end of the double bonus to give the Lady Wildcats their first lead in nearly 13 minutes of action.
Bianca Davis added a free throw with 22 seconds left to make it a two-point game, but Mobile was unable to get a shot to fall to force overtime. Deonica McCormick's 3-point try missed and Jammieca Hudson's second-chance try was blocked by Kirbi Clark to end the game.
Brown led Wiley with 19 points, tying the school record for points in an NAIA tournament game. Linda Emeghebo previously scored 19 for the Lady Wildcats in a 2008 second-round loss to Freed-Hardeman University. Three other Wiley players chipped in double-figure points, as Alexia Kelley had a double-double 11 points and 11 rebounds, Danisha Shaw scored 11 and Kyniddia Purdy had 10.
McCormick led Mobile and all players with 29 points, followed by 11 from Sydney Westry and 10 from Kali Koenig. McCormick set new Mobile single-season records for points per game (21.2) and total points (679) with today's performance.
Mobile led early before Wiley battled back to make it a close back-and-forth game midway through the first half. Brown broke an 18-18 tie with 5:14 to play in the opening half and Wiley went on to lead by as many as six en route to a 28-23 halftime advantage.
The Rams eventually flipped Wiley's six-point lead with a 14-2 run to go up by six, 52-46, with 12:16 to play in the game. McCormick made it nine, 60-51, with 8:59 to play before the Lady Wildcats surged back.
Wiley College, making its third championship appearance, advances to the second round for only the second time in program history. Mobile ends its season at 23-9 after qualifying for its first championship appearance since 2006 by winning the Southern States Athletic Conference Tournament.
Wiley (28-4) advances to play Shawnee State University in the second round Friday at 4:30 p.m. EDT in the Frankfort Convention Center. Shawnee State, a No. 7 seed, used overtime in the first game of the day to upset second-seed Oklahoma Baptist, 94-91.
The Lady Wildcats needed less than a minute to erase a nine-point deficit to tie the game at 60 with 8:08 to play. Mobile (23-9) managed to maintain a one or two possession lead until Wiley's Kayla Brown tied, 72-72, with 1:26 left.
After two missed 3s by the Rams, Mobile's Jakela Johnson was called for an offensive foul, sending Alexis Bernstine to the free throw line. She hit the back end of the double bonus to give the Lady Wildcats their first lead in nearly 13 minutes of action.
Bianca Davis added a free throw with 22 seconds left to make it a two-point game, but Mobile was unable to get a shot to fall to force overtime. Deonica McCormick's 3-point try missed and Jammieca Hudson's second-chance try was blocked by Kirbi Clark to end the game.
Brown led Wiley with 19 points, tying the school record for points in an NAIA tournament game. Linda Emeghebo previously scored 19 for the Lady Wildcats in a 2008 second-round loss to Freed-Hardeman University. Three other Wiley players chipped in double-figure points, as Alexia Kelley had a double-double 11 points and 11 rebounds, Danisha Shaw scored 11 and Kyniddia Purdy had 10.
McCormick led Mobile and all players with 29 points, followed by 11 from Sydney Westry and 10 from Kali Koenig. McCormick set new Mobile single-season records for points per game (21.2) and total points (679) with today's performance.
Mobile led early before Wiley battled back to make it a close back-and-forth game midway through the first half. Brown broke an 18-18 tie with 5:14 to play in the opening half and Wiley went on to lead by as many as six en route to a 28-23 halftime advantage.
The Rams eventually flipped Wiley's six-point lead with a 14-2 run to go up by six, 52-46, with 12:16 to play in the game. McCormick made it nine, 60-51, with 8:59 to play before the Lady Wildcats surged back.
Wiley College, making its third championship appearance, advances to the second round for only the second time in program history. Mobile ends its season at 23-9 after qualifying for its first championship appearance since 2006 by winning the Southern States Athletic Conference Tournament.
