Bowie St. Women Top Shaw And Move Into Semifinals of CIAA Tourney

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Brittany Barber only scored two points in Thursday’s CIAA tournament quarterfinal game against Shaw.

Fortunately for Bowie State (17-7) the points, which came with 23 seconds remaining, proving to be the game winners and helped the Lady Bulldogs to a 44-43 win over Shaw.

“We were wanting to get the ball inside whether or not it went to (Brittany) Barber or (Juliette) Turner,” said BSU head coach Donna Polk. “I was happy for (Brittany) Barber because she struggled a little bit all year. Just to be able to get in today and provide that inside for us was helpful.”

SU (16-12) led by seven, 40-33, with seven minutes left in the second half. However, the Lady Bears made only one field goal in the final 10 minutes of the contest. That allowed BSU to close the game on an 11-4 run and claim its second win over SU this season.

The Lady Bears held BSU to season-lows in points and shooting percentage (23.1 percent). In fact, the Lady Bulldogs’ two lowest shooting and scoring performances this season have come against Shaw.

“Defensively, we’ve been there,” SU head coach Jacques Curtis said. defensively, that we were going to be able to play well. The issue was were we going to be able to score the ball enough to win.”

Curtis’ team had two opportunities in the final 20 seconds to tie or win the game, but wasn’t able to get a shot off either time.

“I was trying to get to the basket, but their whole game plan was to surround me,” SU senior Tanisha McGaughey. “I lost the ball on the last play. It slipped out of my hands and I couldn’t get it back.”

Bianca Lee had a game-high 16 points and was the only Bulldogs player to score in double figures. Juliette Turner had nine points and 10 rebounds, Brittney Jackson added seven points and Lakisa Walker contributed seven points, seven rebounds and two steals.

Since the Lady Bulldogs’ leading scorer and rebounder Teaunsha Robinson tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) nearly two weeks ago, Lee has assumed more of a leadership role.

“I knew coming into the tournament that I had to step up as a senior,” she said. “Being one player short, I think that has brought us closer together. We’re doing the little things on the basketball court that other people aren’t used to doing.”

Added Polk: “Bianca (Lee) is being more of a vocal leader now. Today we had to move her to the point guard position so she wasn’t scoring as much. She was on the court telling everyone to ‘stay patient, stay calm.’”

BSU advances to the CIAA semifinals where they will face Elizabeth City State on Friday. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m.

The Lady Bulldogs split two meetings against the Lady Vikings, the tournament’s No. 6 seed, this season with both teams winning on their home court.

“They’re tough and playing well,” Polk said. “The coach has them coming together and doing good things. We have to regroup tonight, get together and be ready to play tomorrow.”

McGaughey had 11 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, three steals, two blocks and played 39 minutes. Niesha Searles added 10 points and Maggie Tanner amassed seven points and four rebounds.

With more than 1,000 career points at SU, McGaughey leaves as one of the most decorated players in school history.

“It hasn’t really hit me yet,” she said of playing her last game with the Lady Bears. “Probably tomorrow, I’ll probably have some emotions.”

An 8-0 run midway through the first half helped give the Bears a 22-17 lead at halftime. SU led by as much as seven in the game.