3 Smith Free Throws Sink USD, 57-56
Mar 1, 2006 | Women's Basketball
JJ Smith, fouled on a three-point shot with a second to play, connected on all three free throws to boost the Mavericks past South Dakota, 57-56, and into the Wells Fargo Finals semifinal game Saturday afternoon in Grand Forks to play No. 2-ranked and unbeaten North Dakota.
Smith, a senior playing her final game at Lee & Helene Sapp Fieldhouse, led UNO with 14 points, despite hitting just 5 of 15 from the field for the game. Her only trip to the foul line came with UNO trailing the Coyotes, 56-54, with a second left. She hit the first two, then came back after a USD timeout to hit the third.
The win gives UNO its first 20-win season at 20-10 since 1991-92 and its first-ever trip to the NCC post-sesason tournament semifinals. South Dakota ended its season at 15-13, with UNO winning all three meetings this year. UNO will meet 30-0 North Dakota at 3 Saturday afternoon.
South Dakota scored the first eight points in the game, but the Mavericks recovered and hit 57.7 percent from the field the first half, to take the lead at the eight-minute mark to take a 36-31 lead into halftime. The Coyotes, who shot just 34.4 percent, stayed close by hitting six of 13 from behind the arc.
UNO's shooting turned stone-cold after the break, hitting just one of its first eight shots while USD went on an 11-2 run to open the half and took a 42-38 lead on layups by Janielle Bryan and Bridget Yoerger with 13:51 to play.
UNO answered with a 9-0 run with Smith scoring on a three and a layup to take a 47-42 lead at the midway point.
The Coyotes scrapped back as Ashley Bjorkman and Meghan Woster hit three-point shots and pulled out front 56-51 with 34 seconds left on two free shots by Ashley Robinette.
The Mavs pulled within 56-54 with 24 seconds left on an Ashley Freerksen three-pointer from the left corner. USD could have put the game out of reach with 18 seconds left, but Woster missed the front-end of a one-and-one and UNO rebounded.
The Mavs called a timeout with 10 seconds left, but could only find Smith in the right corner. Her shot went long, but she was fouled by Erica Schroeder.
Bjorkman led the Coyotes with 12 points and Yoerger and Bryan each had 10.
Besides Smith, Freerksen scored 11 points and Karen Thies and LaCheryl Prince each added 10. UNO finished with 41.1 percent shooting, after cooling to 26.7 percent the second half.
Smith, a senior playing her final game at Lee & Helene Sapp Fieldhouse, led UNO with 14 points, despite hitting just 5 of 15 from the field for the game. Her only trip to the foul line came with UNO trailing the Coyotes, 56-54, with a second left. She hit the first two, then came back after a USD timeout to hit the third.
The win gives UNO its first 20-win season at 20-10 since 1991-92 and its first-ever trip to the NCC post-sesason tournament semifinals. South Dakota ended its season at 15-13, with UNO winning all three meetings this year. UNO will meet 30-0 North Dakota at 3 Saturday afternoon.
South Dakota scored the first eight points in the game, but the Mavericks recovered and hit 57.7 percent from the field the first half, to take the lead at the eight-minute mark to take a 36-31 lead into halftime. The Coyotes, who shot just 34.4 percent, stayed close by hitting six of 13 from behind the arc.
UNO's shooting turned stone-cold after the break, hitting just one of its first eight shots while USD went on an 11-2 run to open the half and took a 42-38 lead on layups by Janielle Bryan and Bridget Yoerger with 13:51 to play.
UNO answered with a 9-0 run with Smith scoring on a three and a layup to take a 47-42 lead at the midway point.
The Coyotes scrapped back as Ashley Bjorkman and Meghan Woster hit three-point shots and pulled out front 56-51 with 34 seconds left on two free shots by Ashley Robinette.
The Mavs pulled within 56-54 with 24 seconds left on an Ashley Freerksen three-pointer from the left corner. USD could have put the game out of reach with 18 seconds left, but Woster missed the front-end of a one-and-one and UNO rebounded.
The Mavs called a timeout with 10 seconds left, but could only find Smith in the right corner. Her shot went long, but she was fouled by Erica Schroeder.
Bjorkman led the Coyotes with 12 points and Yoerger and Bryan each had 10.
Besides Smith, Freerksen scored 11 points and Karen Thies and LaCheryl Prince each added 10. UNO finished with 41.1 percent shooting, after cooling to 26.7 percent the second half.
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballTuesday, September 01
Wednesday, August 26
Friday, August 21
Tuesday, April 21
