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Home > SECWB News & More! > WNIT > South Carolina knocked out of the WNIT by Hofstra
South Carolina knocked out of the WNIT by Hofstra
by by Marilyn McManus, SECWB.com(March 21, 2007)
Posted: March 30th, 2007 @ 7:44pm
The South Carolina women’s basketball team hosted the Hofstra Pride in round three of the Women’s NIT on Wednesday night at the Colonial Center. The Gamecocks lost 64-59 and ended their season with an 18-15 record. Hofstra improved to 26-7 and will move on to the quarterfinal round of the tournament.
In front of a small, but extremely vocal crowd, the game stayed close throughout the first half, with neither team leading by more than 4 points. Both teams played physical defense and each had 10 turnovers for the half. The Gamecocks were forced to play a slower game than they would have liked, held to only 2 fast-break points by Hofstra’s defensive pressure. The Pride held the lead at halftime, 27-23.
In the second half, Hofstra eked out a 7 point lead with just over 10 minutes to go, but the Gamecocks outscored the Pride 8-1 over the next 2 minutes, to tie the game with 8:32 left to play. The teams traded baskets over the next 3 minutes, until Cigi McCollin made a 3-pointer to give Hofstra a 5-point lead, with just over 3 minutes to go. The Gamecocks refused to give up and fought their way to within 2 points with just under a minute to play. Then it all fell apart for South Carolina. Junior Lakesha Tolliver went up for a rebound under the Hofstra basket and was called for a foul with only 36 seconds to play. Tolliver’s reaction, bouncing the ball hard on the floor, earned her a technical foul, as well. The Hofstra team hit all 4 foul shots, so that by the time South Carolina got the ball back, they were down by 6 points. The last 30 seconds of the game consisted of desperate shot attempts by the Gamecocks, alternated with sending Hofstra players to the foul line to get the ball back. South Carolina hit just 2 of the 6 shots they attempted in the final 28 seconds, while Hofstra hit 3 of 4 free throws to seal the win.
Senior Lauren Simms led the Gamecocks in scoring with 12 points, while Lakesha Tolliver and Demetress Adams led the rebounding with 8 apiece. Tolliver also blocked 3 shots, giving her 60 blocks for the season and setting a new single season record. The loss marked the final game for six South Carolina seniors: Lauren Simms, Stacy Booker, Lea Fabbri, Iva Sliskovic, Shannel Harris, and Larissa Kulscar.
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