NEW YORK (3/9/07) - Senior forward Ebony Allen (Camden, N.J.) had a double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds and sophomore guard Ebony Jackson (Newark, N.J.) scored 17 points, including eight points in the final two minutes, as the Kean University women's basketball team advances to the NCAA Division III Elite Eight with a 68-60 victory over Randolph-Macon College on Friday evening at New York University. The Cougars, who are one win away from advancing to the Final Four for just the second time in program history, improve to 27-3 this season and tie the 1986-87 Final Four squad for the most wins in school history. They face New York University in the sectional final on Saturday, March 10, at 7 p.m., at New York University for a ticket to the Final Four in Springfield, Mass.
After trailing by five points (11-6) with 13:11 left in the opening half, the Cougars used a 14-4 run over the next six minutes to build a five point lead at 20-15 with just under seven minutes left to play in the first half. Senior forward Chi Clark (Maplewood, N.J.) tallied six points in the run, while freshman guard Alysha Taylor (Galloway, N.J.) and Allen each tallied four points.
The Yellow Jackets regained the lead at 25-24 on a three-pointer by junior guard Nicole Childress (Fredericksburg, Va.) before the Cougars scored the final four points of the half to take a 32-28 lead into halftime.
In the opening half, Allen hit 5-of-9 shots from the floor on the strength of six offensive boards as she had 11 points and nine rebounds at the break. The Yellow Jackets were paced by sophomore forward Lindsay Riesbeck (Newport News, Va.), who had eight points, six rebounds and four blocks in the first half.
The Cougars extended the lead to eight points on a pair of occasions midway through the second half, however Randolph-Macon put together an 11-2 run to take its first lead of the second half at 50-49 with 8:01 remaining in the game as Riesbeck scored six straight points to regain the lead. After the two teams traded baskets, Clark gave the Cougars the lead for good on a pair of free throws with 4:23 remaining.
Kean built the advantage back to five points and the Yellow Jackets could get no closer than three points the rest of the way, as Kean connected on 5-of-6 free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.
For the game, Jackson added seven rebounds and three assists, while Clark added 14 points and five offensive boards off the bench. Sophomore guard Melissa Beyruti (Union City, N.J.) was held in check by the Yellow Jackets, as she had just seven points and one three-pointers on 3-of-14 shooting.
The Yellow Jackets, who have advanced to three straight Sweet Sixteens, were led by Riesbeck, who had game-highs of 23 points, 13 rebounds and six blocks. Senior guards Salem Shaffer (Hampton, Va.) and Kristen Morgan (Brigantine, N.J.) closed out their collegiate careers with 14 points and 11 points, respectively.
