BOSTON, Mass. -- Junior Margo Russell (Madison, Maine) hit a jumper in the paint with 0.8 seconds remaining to give the University of New England a 68-66 women's basketball victory over Trinity College (Conn.) in the opening round of the Emerson College Tip-Off Tournament Saturday afternoon at Brown-Plofker Gym.

The Nor'easters (3-0) advance to Sunday's tournament final and will face Clark University (a 70-64 winner over host Emerson) at approximately 3 p.m. The Bantams (0-1) and Lions will meet in the consolation match at 1 p.m.

Tied 59-59 with 3:21 to play, Trinity senior Kristin Fahey (Cumberland, R.I.) put her team in front on back-to-back possessions, only to see UNE answer right back to knot things up both times. Fahey made it seven points in 76 seconds with a three-pointer on the ensuing trip to give the Bantams a 66-63 edge with 1:41 left.

Each team came up empty the next time down the court before junior Kelley Paradis (Newport, Maine) canned a trey with 37 seconds on the clock to make it 66-all. A turnover after a missed jumper and offensive rebound left the Nor'easters with the ball and set-up Russell's winning shot.

Big Blue led from the start until Trinity junior Kaitlin Ciarleglio (Waterbury, Conn.) drained three of her 15 points to level the game at 54-54 with 5:37 left. The Nor'easters were ahead by seven (35-28) at the break, and pushed the margin to as many as nine (43-34) near the mid-point in the second half.

Paradis headed five UNE players in double figures, tallying 13 points. Russell added 12 and seven rebounds, while senior Carrie Bunnell (Barnet, Vt.) finished with 11 points. Junior Kari Pelletier (South Paris, Maine) went 8-for-8 at the line to register 10 points, and sophomore Beth Suggs (Bath, Maine) also had 10 points to go with seven boards.

Fahey ended with 14 for the Bantams, who outrebounded their opponents, 44-35. Sophomore Carly Napier (Pittsford, N.Y.) came off the bench to post 10 points. Ciarleglio recorded eight assists to go with her game-high point-total.