SALEM, Va. – Junior center Nicci Moats scored a career-high 25 points and grabbed 16 rebounds to lead Roanoke College past Guilford College, 68-57, in an Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Women's Basketball Tournament semifinal Saturday at the Salem Civic Center.
The third-seeded Maroons (19-7) advanced to their 18th ODAC Tournament final on the strength of their veteran post players: Moats, senior Jordan Gholson and senior Kylie Lucas. The trio combined for 49 points of Roanoke's 68 points and collected 27 of the team's 40 rebounds.
Roanoke's veteran frontcourt also overshadowed seventh-seeded Guilford's impressive freshman post tandem of Morgan King and Gabby Oglesby. King scored four points Saturday, after hitting for a career-high 22 in the Quakers' upset of second-seeded Bridgewater College Thursday. Oglesby was held to five points, more than six below her season average.
Guilford fell behind by nine points early, but recovered thanks to Jazlyn Gibbs and six first-half three-pointers. Gibbs scored 13 of her team-high 23 points in the opening period, including a three that gave Guilford a 31-28 edge three minutes before halftime.
The Maroons closed the half on a 7-0 run that included four Moats points and a Lucas bucket. Gholson (13 points, 8 rebounds) and Moats opened the second-half scoring, which created a 39-31 Roanoke lead. A Gibbs three-pointer pulled Guilford within five, but the Quakers drew no closer.
Rebecca Bays scored 11 points and contributed six assists for Roanoke. The Maroons outscored Guilford in the paint, 42-22, and converted 16 Guilford turnovers into 20 points.
Brittany Atwater and Logan Terry both scored eight points for the Quakers. King grabbed a team-best 10 boards.
Roanoke faces Randolph-Macon College in Sunday's ODAC Tournament final. The Yellow Jackets beat Washington and Lee University, 79-66, in Saturday's other semifinal.
Guilford finished with a 15-12 record, its most wins since 2004.
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