Bears Athletics - Shaw Women Fall in OT to ECSU

Shaw Women Give Up 12-Point Lead, Fall in OT to ECSU 66-64

(Raleigh, NC) – Elizabeth City State’s Kenyatta Gill and Shaquella Johnson hit key free throws in the final three seconds of overtime to give the Lady Vikings a 66-64 win over #23 Shaw.

The Lady Bears (10-3, 6-2 CIAA) held a 12-point lead late in the first half, but with only eight players in uniform, Shaw lost some steam and slowly let ECSU back into the game. Midway through the second half, the Lady Vikings (9-4, 5-4 CIAA) went on an 11-2 run that tied the game.

The Lady Vikings built a five-point lead with 3:27 left in the game on Johnson’s layup. The Lady Bears fought back, tying the score with 46 seconds left in regulation on Saundra Proctor’s three-point shot. After an ECSU turnover, Shaw’s Tanisha McGaughey put up a three with four seconds left, but it bounced away, sending the teams to overtime.

ECSU scored the first two buckets in overtime, but McGaughey sank two free throws and Niesha Searles (left) hit a jumper to tie the score at 59. With only nine seconds left, McGaughey hit a three from the top of the circle to give Shaw a one-point lead.

Gill was fouled and sank both of her free throws with three seconds on the clock. Johnson added one with only a second left, bringing the final score to 66-64.

In the first half, the Lady Vikings struggled with their shooting, hitting only 23.5 percent – including going 0-14 from the three point line.

The first six minutes were slow, with neither team finding their footing. With 13:31 left in the half, Quaticqua Johnson hit a jumper to put the score at 7-3.

Over the next ten minutes, the Lady Bears slowly built a double-digit lead, and Johnson’s layup with 4:29 left in the half gave the Lady Bears a 25-13 lead. The Lady Vikings could not cut the lead to under ten for the remainder of the half and the Lady Bears went to the locker room with a 29-19 lead.

In the second half, it was the Lady Bears who struggled to find a shooting touch, going eight for 30 (26.7%) from the field. Meanwhile, ECSU found their stroke, including going six for nine from beyond the arc.

The Lady Bears also struggled at the free throw line, shooting only 57.9 percent (11 for 19), and going only two for four during the overtime period.

McGaughey led the Lady Bears with 16 points and six assists. She also had nine rebounds. Quaticqua Johnson had 14 points and Niesha Searles 13 for the Lady Bears. Victoria Tanner led Shaw with 11 rebounds.

Gill set the pace for ECSU with 22 points. Joyce Freeman had the double-double for the Lady Vikings with 12 points and 12 rebounds, while also leading her team with four assists. Kearah Jefferys and Shaquella Johnson had ten points apiece for Elizabeth City.

The Lady Bears host Saint Paul’s Monday, January 18 in C. C. Spaulding Gymnasium.

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January 16, 2010