Montclair, NJ – Albright College's Shannon Thomas scored 16 points, including four in the overtime while MiKayla Lea came up with a key defensive play in the extra session as the Lions knocked off Montclair State 69-66 in the second round of the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship at the Pazner Athletic Center on Saturday.
Kelecia Harris and Alysha Lofton finished with 17 and 12 points respectively for Albright (27-2), which now advances to NCAA Sectional Tournament for the first time in school history. The Lions, who have won 15 straight, will face Tufts University on Friday, March 11 at a site to be determined. Albright is making its second NCA Tournament appearance.
Sophomore guard Katie Sire, who forced the OT with a buzzer-beating three-pointer in regulation, finished with 20 points and eight rebounds for Montclair State, which ended its season at 22-7. The Red Hawks, making their seventh overall appearance in the NCAA Tournament including their fourth consecutive trip.
A pendulum-swinging fourth quarter came down to the final second as Albright scored four straight to take a 56-53 lead with 15 seconds left on Lea's two free throws. Looking to tie the attempt, Lea then made a block on Rachael Krauss' however Taylor Harmon grabbed the loose ball and drove in for a layup with seven ticks making the score 56-55. MSU would foul before the inbounds and Nina Mazzarelli hit twice from the line giving the Lions a three-point lead.
The Red Hawks pushed the ball up the floor with Kate Tobie grabbing the ball on the right wing. With the clock ticking down, Zoe Curtis flipped a pass to Sire at the top of the key. With Lea charging on the block attempt, Sire sent the ball high in the air and through the net as the horn sounded sending the contest into OT knotted at 58-58.
In the extra period, Mazzarelli gave the Lions the lead with a layup at 3:39 and Thomas' basket a minute later made it 62-58. Sage Bennett answer with a three-pointer but Mazzarelli counter with a basket as the lead was 64-51 with 2:11 to go. Sire made one free throw and then added a layup with 55 seconds tying the contest at 64-64.
Alysha Lofton put the Lions back in front with a three-point play with 30 seconds. Tobie pulled MSU within one at 67-66 five seconds later. A foul put Harris at the line where she made one for a 68-66 Albright advantage. Sire would drive the lane at the other end and looked good for a game-tying layup however Lea made the block with Thomas securing the rebound with 12 seconds. Thomas made one foul shot leaving Montclair a chance however a Krauss three went off the mark.
Albright led 22-21 at halftime but a 20-14 quarter by Montclair State gave the Red Hawks a 41-36 lead after three. Krauss netted 10 of her 12 in the period.
The fourth became a game of runs as the Lions opened the period with a 6-0 spurt to take a 42-41 lead on a Harris free throw. Tobie's layup helped MSU go back on top 46-43 however Albright answered with a nine-point spurt capped by Lofton's two free throws for a 52-46 lead with 2:20 remaining.
Montclair State swung the momentum in its favor as Sire scored the next seven points to give Montclair its final lead at 53-52 with 64 seconds showing on the clock. Lea then connected four times from the line for a 56-53 Albright lead setting up the frenetic ending to regulation.
Lofton led the Lions with nine rebounds while Mazzarelli had six. Thomas, Harris and Lea each had four as Albright out rebounded MSU 43-31.
Harmon finished with 17 points, five rebounds and four steals off the bench for Montclair State which got six points and six assists from Tobie.