Women's Roundup
NCAA March Begins For Two Local Teams
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Friday, March 7, 2008; Page E04
Two area women's basketball teams will play in the Division III NCAA tournament beginning tonight. Mary Washington, which reached the Final Four last season, hosts first- and second-round games in Fredericksburg, and Marymount travels to Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pa.
The fifth-ranked Eagles (26-2) advanced to the tournament by winning their third Capital Athletic Conference title in four years. They will play Baruch College (N.Y.) (22-6) at 6:30. The Saints (23-5), who are playing in their 14th NCAA tournament, received an at-large bid. They play Salem (Mass.) State (21-6) at 5:30.
Mary Washington is led by all-American and CAC player of the year Liz Hickey. One of 10 finalists for national player of the year, Hickey recently broke the Division III career blocks record and averages 14.6 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. Senior point guard Amanda Bates (Forest Park) has guided Mary Washington to a 109-14 record during her career.
Marymount, which went to the Final Four in 2002 but missed the tournament last season, is led by Kathleen Brown. The sophomore forward out of Walt Whitman High was the CAC's top scorer, averaging 18.1 points per game. Coach Bill Finney, who is in his 25th season, has a 505-183 record.
The winners of tonight's games will advance to play tomorrow night at the same sites.
¿ OKLAHOMA ST. 72, BAYLOR 68: In Waco, Tex., Andrea Riley scored 27 points and Shaunte Smith added 17 as the No. 20 Cowgirls (23-6, 11-5) dashed the Lady Bears' chance of sharing the Big 12 regular season championship.
Angela Tisdale had 18 points for Baylor (24-5, 12-4), which could have tied Kansas State for the regular season conference title.
¿ TEXAS A&M 73, OKLAHOMA 59: Danielle Gant had 21 points and 12 rebounds to lead the No. 17 Aggies, at home, over the 11th-ranked Sooners, the Aggies' sixth straight win and their third in a row over a top 25 team.
Texas A&M (23-7, 11-5 Big 12) finished the regular season with wins in 10 of its last 11 games. Oklahoma (21-7, 11-5) didn't score a basket for an almost 7 1/2 minute span in the second half and trailed by 26 points before closing the game with a 23-11 run.
