Women's Basketball Falls to UDC in ECC Final, 67-57
Box Score BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (Mar. 8, 2014) - The top-seeded LIU Post women's basketball team lost to second-seeded UDC, 67-57, in Saturday's East Coast Conference Championship title game at the Pratt Recreation Center in Brookville, N.Y.
Turnovers hurt the Pioneers (22-6, 18-2 ECC), as the Firebirds' defense caused 24 miscues and outscored the green and gold, 29-7, in points off turnovers.
The teams played a back-and-forth first session, with UDC (21-7, 15-5 ECC) going on an 11-2 spurt in a three-minute span to take a 36-26 lead with 1:42 left before the break. The Pioneers answered with five unanswered points to get within five (36-31) at the intermission.
In the second half, LIU Post came out shooting, with senior guard
Kiki Sears (Hampton, Va.) opening the scoring with a fast-break lay-up just 45 seconds into the period. After junior guard
Chelsea Williams (Copiague, N.Y.) hit a lay-up to pull the green and gold within one (44-43), senior forward
Dominique Pagan (Bronx, N.Y.) netted a lay-up of their own to give the hosts their first lead since the 6:16 mark in the first half.
Throughout the next eight minutes of action, no team led by more than three until Tiara Goode hit a three for UDC to extend the Firebirds' lead to 56-51 with 5:49 to go. Three minutes later, Teara Shaw hit a jumper to put the game out of reach, ending the Pioneers' championship hopes.
LIU Post was led by Williams, who finished with 22 points. Senior guard
Alexis Peters (Dorchester, Mass.) added 11 points and seven rebounds. Sophomore center
Nyasia Davis (Rahway, N.J.) hauled in nine rebounds and chipped in six points.
For their efforts, Williams and Peters were both named to ECC All-Tournament team.
The Pioneers now await seeding in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. The selection show is scheduled for Sunday (Mar. 9) at 10 p.m.
ECC Women's Basketball All-Tournament Team
Rebecca Romeo - NYIT
Madison Rowland - Queens
Chelsea Williams - LIU Post
Alexis Peters - LIU Post
Denikka Brent - UDC
Shantrel Oliver - UDC
Most Outstanding Player - Telisha Turner - UDC