Madison, NJ (February 19, 2011) – Senior Lori Lidlow and sophomore Colleen Gavin combined for 36 points leading the DeSales University women's basketball team past FDU-Florham, 64-56, as the Bulldogs clinch the #2 seed in the upcoming Freedom Conference playoffs this week.
DSU will host King's College in the semifinals of the Freedom Conference playoffs with game time set for 6:00 pm in Billera Hall. Manhattanville College wrapped up the #1 seed with a win over Misericordia University on Saturday afternoon and those two teams will meet again four days from today at Kennedy Gymnasium in the other semifinal. Manhattanville, DeSales, and King's all finished tied for first place at 10-4 with the Valiants holding the tiebreaker to earn the #1 seed.
Lidlow finished with a game-high 20 points on a solid 9-of-10 effort from the charity stripe and added five steals, while Gavin recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 16 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Bulldogs.
Freshman Faith Gilbert continued her strong play off the bench with eight points, freshman Sondrine Glovas added nine points, and junior Cherelle Simmons finished with six points and seven boards in the win.
Shaleah Alston tossed in a team-high 18 points for the Devils, while senior Shealyn Taggart recorded a double-double in her final career game with 17 points and 14 rebounds. Brianna Nicholls finished with 12 rebounds in the loss.
FDU (8-16, 4-10 Freedom) led 23-18 with 6:09 left to go in the first half when the Bulldogs (17-8, 10-4 Freedom) scored the final 11 points of the half to take a 29-23 lead into the locker room. Gavin scored the first six points of the half-ending run and Gilbert added a three during the stretch.
DSU scored the first five points of the second half to take a 34-23 lead before Nicholls ended the scoreless drought with a jumper at the 17:05 mark. FDU chipped away at the lead, pulling within three points once (36-33) with 14:03 to go but a 14-3 run over a six minute stretch midway thru the second half put DeSales up 18 points (58-40) with just over five minutes left.
Five different Bulldogs scored during the clinching run including Gavin and Lidlow with 10 of the 14 points. The Devils made a furious rally thanks to three treys from senior Lynn Lopez and Alston, pulling within five points with 1:14 left but two Lidlow free throws stretched the lead out to seven points with 32 seconds left before the final margin was posted.
The Bulldogs will be making their 14th straight appearance in the Freedom Conference playoffs. The semifinal match-up will be the eighth time DSU meets rival King's College with the Lady Monarchs holding a slim 4-3 edge in the first seven meetings in the Freedom post-season.