GOLDEN SUNS CLOSE OUT SEASON WITH LOSS IN NCAA D-II SOUTH REGIONAL SEMIFINALS TO 17TH-RANKED VALDOSTA STATE

        CLEVELAND, Mississippi – 13th-ranked Arkansas Tech Women’s Basketball closed out its 2007-08 season here Saturday by falling 58-53 to 17th-ranked Valdosta State in the semifinal round of the NCAA Division II South Regional Tournament at Walter Sillers Coliseum on the campus of Delta State University.

Tech, who finished the season with a 26-6 record, ended its season for the second consecutive year in the regional semifinals as the Golden Suns fell 43-40 to Delta State last season in Fort Meyers, Fla. With the loss, Tech fell to 3-4 all-time in regional semifinal games and is now 13-8 in NCAA Tournament games.

The Golden Suns struggled offensively in Saturday’s semifinal game and needed 48 percent shooting in the second half to climb back into the game after trailing 30-22 at the half.

“We got off to a bad start tonight and that made it difficult to come back from, but I’m really proud of basketball team and this group of ladies,” Golden Suns Head Coach Dave Wilbers said. “The blame is all on us. We didn’t play well, but we still had some chances down the stretch.”

          With its offense struggling, Tech’s defense was the catalyst that brought the Golden Suns back in the game in the second half. Tech held VSU without a point for nearly seven minutes and during that stretch used a 9-0 run to pull within 38-35 on a jumper by junior forward Amanda Grappe (Benton, Ark.) with 9:03 remaining in the game. The basket by Grappe, who entered the game averaging 26.8 points per game in postseason play, was her first of the contest. Grappe finished the game with 11 points and seven rebounds.

          “VSU is a good defensive team and tonight just wasn’t our night,” Grappe said.

          Wilbers said it was tough for his team to battle back due to its inability to hit shots.

          “It was one of those nights, where our shots didn’t go in the basket,” the first-year Tech coach added. “But I thought our defense played really well tonight and kept us in the game.”

          Following Grappe’s shot, VSU used back-to-back baskets from Nina Risto to push its lead back to 42-35 with 6:38 left in the game. Risto finished with a game-high 18 points.

          Tech pulled within 47-43 with 1:15 left in the game on two free throws by Grappe, before the Lady Blazers (26-5) sealed the win with a three-point play by Leschelle Matthews with a little under a minute left in the game.

          “We had a chance, but that three-point play by Matthews with a little under a minute left was the backbreaker,” said the Tech coach.

          VSU ended the game hitting 8-of-10 free throws to thwart Tech’s comeback as Tech would get as close as 57-53 on a three-pointer by junior forward Anna Baran (Rzeszow, Poland) with seven seconds remaining. Baran finished the game with 10 points off the bench for the Golden Suns.

          While VSU’s defense sent two and sometimes three players at Grappe most of the game, senior forward Krishna Baker (Little Rock, Ark.) was forced to pick a majority of the scoring inside. Baker, who finished her career with a 48-15 record in her two years at Tech, scored a team-high 17 points, including nine points in the first half.

          “I am really proud of K.B. and the rest of our seniors,” Wilbers said. “They did a good job this season and really helped our team achieve the success we enjoyed.” In addition to Baker, senior forward Daiane Domingos (Sao Paulo, Brazil) played her final game as a Golden Sun.

          In addition to Risto’s 18 points, Michelle Thompson added 16 points for the Lady Blazers, who advance to Monday’s regional final against the winner of the Delta State/West Georgia semifinal.

          Wilbers said he was proud of his team for being able to continue to battle after injuries took away three key starters throughout the course of the season. Tech lost senior guard Rachel Brazell (Mansfield, Texas), senior center Ruby Vaden (Blytheville, Ark.) and sophomore guard Ashley Grappe (Benton, Ark.) to season-ending injuries.

          “Our young ladies overcame a lot this season with all the injuries we had to deal with,” said Wilbers. “Over the course of time, most teams would’ve folded, but this team never missed a beat and continued to battle until the end.”

          For the game, Tech finished the game shooting 40 percent from the floor, but shot just 29 percent (4-for-14) from long distance and 61 percent (11-for-18) from the foul line, while VSU shot 36 percent from the floor, 25 percent (4-for-16) from the 3-point line and 84 percent (16-for-19) from the free throw line. In addition, VSU held a 35-32 edge on the boards and forced 19 Tech turnovers, which led to 14 points.  

Valdosta State Box Score

-- Tech Athletics --