UAFS ended the third quarter of Saturday’s Heartland Conference Tournament semifinal game against St. Edward’s on a 6-0 run to take a one-point lead into the final quarter against the top-seeded Hilltoppers.
St. Edward’s, though, turned up the defensive pressure in the final 10-minute period, holding No. 4 seed UAFS to just 26-percent shooting in rallying for 67-60 win at the Union Multipurpose Activity Center in Tulsa, Okla.
St. Edward’s, which won its second game in three tries against UAFS this season, advanced to Sunday’s tournament championship game and will play defending tournament champion and No. 3 seed Lubbock Christian at noon.
UAFS led 50-49 after three quarters and held as much as a three-point during the first six minutes of the fourth quarter. A layup by junior forward Tayla Taylor gave the Lady Lions a 60-57 advantage with 3:42 to play.
The Hilltoppers held the Lady Lions scoreless over the final stretch – UAFS was 0-of-7 shooting from the field – and ended the game on a 10-0 run to post the win.
UAFS 37 percent from the field for the game (21 of 57) – it was 5-of-13 shooting from 3-point range – and shot just 59 percent from the free-throw line (13 of 22). Freshman guard Micayla Haynes had a team-high 18 points, while senior guard Maya Perry had 13 and Taylor 10. Perry and junior guard Zhanesha Dickerson each had a team-high seven rebounds.
UAFS, though, committed 15 turnovers that lead to 24 points for St. Edward’s.
St. Edward’s shot 48 percent from the field (27 of 56) from the field – it was 2-of-10 shooting from 3-point range – and shot 79 percent from the free-throw line (11 of 14). Guard Shakera Barnes had a team-high 20 points, while forward Lexi Fatheree had 15 points. Haley Joly had a team-high seven rebounds.
HEARTLAND CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT
WOMEN
NO. 1 ST. EDWARD’S 67, NO. 4 UAFS 60
UAFS 14 19 17 10 — 60
St. Edward’s 18 18 13 18 — 67
UAFS (17-13): Haynes 18, Perry 13, Taylor 10, Dickerson 9, Hanson 6, Brown 2, Gulley 2
St. Edward’s (19-8): Barnes 20, Fatheree 15, Clark 9, Cunningham 8, Guillory 7, Joly 4, Hopper 2, Hill 2
