JACKSON, Tenn. - Fifth-seeded Langston (Okla.) took advantage of 25 second-chance points to register a 77-74 victory over fourth-seeded Azusa Pacific (Calif.) in the first round of the 27th Annual NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Championship at Oman Arena.
Langston boasted a 41-29 edge in rebounds, including 17 on the offensive glass, resulting in 25 second-chance points to just three for Azusa Pacific. In a game that featured 13 ties and 10 lead changes, Azusa Pacific twice pulled to within a single point in the final 30 seconds and even had a chance to tie the game and force overtime with a desperation three-pointer from halfcourt as time expired, but the shot came up short of the rim to preserve the victory for Langston.
Matalya McBath-Belvin tied the game at 66-66 with 3:56 remaining in the game to spark a 6-point swing that resulted in a four-point Langston lead at 70-66 with 2:28 to play. Langston answered every Azusa Pacific basket the rest of the way, although a Sarah Leathers three-pointer pulled Azusa Pacific to within a point at 74-73 with 16 seconds remaining.
After McBath-Belvin made one-of-two free throws, Leathers went to the line with nine seconds remaining for a chance to tie the game with two free throws. Leathers made one-of-two, again pulling the Cougars to within a point, but Langston made the first of two free throws, then rebounded the missed second to retain possession before another foul sent Latesha Calton to the line for two more free throws and a chance to make it a two-possession game with four seconds left. Calton made the first and missed the second, and the outlet pass went to Leathers, who had already hit a trio of three-pointers in the game, but her running heave from halfcourt fell short.
McBath-Belvin led Langston with 20 points, and Jamie Skinner collected 16 points and nine rebounds for the Lady Lions. JaCarie Owens provided 14 points and seven rebounds off the bench.
Monica Somers scored 20 points to lead Azusa Pacific, setting the program's single-season scoring record in the process with 676 points to break the previous program mark of 669 set in 1989 by Amy Walter. Leathers finished with 19 points, while Abby Johnson posted her tenth double-double of the season with 15 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
With the win, Langston improves to 28-4 overall and advances to the second round, where the Lady Lions will face Brescia, just the second-ever No. 8 seed to topple 1 of the top 4 seeds since the NAIA moved to the seeded-quarter bracket in 2003, in a second-round contest tomorrow at 2:15 p.m. Azusa Pacific finishes the season 24-8, the third straight season with exactly 24 wins for Cougar head coach Danelle Bishop.
