MECHANICSBURG, Pa. –Messiah College overcame a five-point deficit with six minutes left by outscoring Eastern Connecticut State University 18-3 the rest of the way and eliminating the Warriors in the second round of the NCAA Division III women's basketball tournament, 60-50, Saturday night at Hitchcock Arena.
Eastern (24-5) managed only three points the rest of the way after senior guard Lizzy Cretella (Cheshire) gave the Warriors a 47-42 lead with 6:25 left. On its final 13 possessions, Eastern was 1-of-6 from the floor and missed three of four free throws with five turnovers.
In a game where Messiah (25-4) – the No. 1 seed in the Mid-Atlantic Region -- was unbeaten in 14 home games and Eastern was 14-1 away from home, there were nine lead changes and five ties before the Falcons made it 16 straight wins and snapped Eastern's six-game winning streak. Messiah, which was 28-2 a year ago, won the regional for the second straight season.
Following Cretella's jump shot that pushed Eastern into a five-point lead, Messiah reeled off 16 straight points to amass an 11-point lead with a minute left. In that decisive 16-0 burst, the Falcons had four three-point scoring plays – three from behind the arc and one on an inside bucket and ensuing free throw.
Eastern sophomore Anna Barry (Andover) posted her 13th double-double of the year with a team-high 20 points and game-high ten rebounds. She also equaled the record she shares with eight blocked shots. Barry matched the scoring total of the other four starters.
For Messiah, six-foot senior Leah Springer – the team's leading scorer and rebounder – had 14 points, five rebounds and three blocks in the second half after being held scoreless in the first half, with sophomore guard Eleana Eckley adding 11 points in the second half. In the fourth quarter, Eastern was 3-of-10 from the floor and 3-of-6 from the stripe and turned the ball over six times. Messiah sank all five of its free throws and committed only one turnover over the final ten minutes. Springer, Eckley junior guard Jayneisha Davis combined for all 20 Messiah points in the fourth.
Messiah outscored Eastern 21-0 from behind the arc. The Falcons were 7-of-19, while Eastern went scoreless from distance (0-of-7) for the first time this year.
Eckley led all players with 21 points (7-of-7 FT), with Springer adding her 14 second-half points and finishing with six rebounds and three blocks. Davis added 14 points and was one of three players with two three-point field goals.
In two NCAA games, Barry averaged 21.5 points (21-of-33 from the floor) and 11.0 rebounds with 15 blocks. Barry entered the game tied for fourth nationally in blocks, finishing with 96 this year (3.3 per game), and 136 in 57 career games (2.4 per game).
Senior forward Mya Villard (Cromwell) averaged 11.5 points and 4.0 rebounds in the tournament, with Cretella at 9.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists.