Pride advance to USA South Championship Game with win over Southern Virginia, 76-71
Greensboro, NC – In front of the loudest crowds in Hanes Gymnasium all season, the Greensboro College Women’s Basketball team and Southern Virginia University met for the right to play for the USA South Conference Championship. It was a back an forth game and would not be decided until the final :30 seconds, as the Pride withstood a strong Knight effort to come away with the semifinal win, 76-71.
The first quarter saw Southern Virginia get on the board first scoring four straight points, but Sophomore Lauren Livingston (Greenwood, SC) stopped the run after draining a short jumper. After a Knights’ missed basket, Senior Ta’Keria Legette (Latta, SC) took the ball coast-to-coast and made the basket, got fouled and converted the free throw. She followed that up with a three-pointer from the wing and suddenly the game was tied at, 8-8. Greensboro would take the lead after a Livingston three-pointer, but Southern Virginia answered to tie the game again and as the quarter came to an end, the Knights would hold the lead, 20-17.
Sophomore Audrey Jennings (Elkin, NC) trimmed the lead to, one to start the second quarter, and then Legette gave the Pride the lead with a jumper in the paint, 21-20. They would then take a three-point lead, after two free throws from Livingston, which she followed up with a layup. A layup and a three-pointer by Legette pushed the advantage to six points, and the lead would eventually reach double-digits after a layup from Sophomore Aijah Palmore (Greensboro, NC). On the next possession Senior Karli Mason (Monroe, NC) drained a three-pointer to move the advantage to 39-26 and Greensboro would keep the lead heading into the locker room at the half ahead, 40-32
A made basket off an offensive rebound by Junior Quadijah Moore (Greenwood, SC) started the scoring in the third quarter and then the two teams would trade baskets on the next few possessions, with the Pride lead staying at eight points. A Jennings’ layup put her team back up by double-digits, however Southern Virginia was able to cut the advantage in half, 45-40. Mason stopped the run by making a three-pointer, but as the quarter ended, the Greensboro lead had shrunk to only two points, 58-56.
The Knights tied it up as the fourth quarter began, but Livingston answered with a driving layup, however Southern Virginia would once again pull even. Two strong defensive plays for the Pride turned into a four point advantage, forcing the Knights to call a time-out. With 2:27 remaining in the game, the Knights were able to, once again, tie the game and eventually take a one-point lead, 69-68. With 34.3 seconds left Greensboro trailed again by one-point, by Moore hit a driving layup to help the Pride regain the advantage at 71-70. And they would withstand any run to advance to the USA South Championship game by defeating Southern Virginia by a score of 76-71.
Livingston led Greensboro with 15 points, 6 assists and 4 steals, while Legette finished with 13 points. In addition, Plamore added 13 points to go along with her 9 rebounds , Moore finished with 12 points, while Jennings added 11 points. The Pride will play in the USA South Championship game on Saturday, February 25th at Hanes Gymnasium with the tip-off scheduled for 4:30pm. At the time of this recap, their opponent has not yet been determined.