HICKORY, N.C. – The Lady Indians of Newberry College basketball became the first program in the history of the school’s athletics to win back-to-back South Atlantic Conference Championships with a 67-62 victory over Carson-Newman College.
Newberry (24-6) appeared to be cruising to its second consecutive SAC tournament championship at the 5:04 mark the second half, opening up a 13-point lead on junior guard Tosha Goodman’s fast break jumpshot off the window.
Down 61-49, a dangerous Carson-Newman (21-9) squad began to chip away at the lead. The Lady Eagles went on an 11-2 run, pulling within three points on two free throws from Stefanie Holbrook with 2:08 left in the game.
After a 30 second timeout by Lady Indian head coach Jason Brink at 1:20 mark, Newberry’s pressure defense forced Carson-Newman’s Lindsay Eggleston to turn the ball over just six seconds later.
“Our kids are proud of the defense they played today,” said Brink.
A crucial possession for the scarlet and gray, the Lady Indians worked the ball around the horn with sophomore Laura Marquardt finding an open Goodman in the farside corner. Feet just inside the arc, Goodman tickled the twine to boost Newberry to a five point edge with under a minute left.
The Lady Eagles again pulled within three with 37 seconds on the clock when Holbrook went 2-for-2 at the charity stripe.
Newberry then inbounded the ball and quickly passed around the backcourt, killing time and preventing Carson-Newman from fouling. Tashea Ledbetter finally garnered a whistle with 11 seconds left, but the Lady Eagles had just three team fouls.
Two more Lady Eagle fouls later, Newberry put the ball in play with seven seconds remaining, once again playing keep away.
With Carson-Newman double teaming the ball, speedy Newberry passes eluded the Lady Eagles until junior Tonique Frasier found a wide open Marquardt under the bucket. The forward from Mount Pleasant put the nail in the coffin with under a second remaining.
A mandatory Lady Eagle inbound later the horn sounded and the celebration began for the Lady Indians.
In addition to being named to the all-tournament team, junior Ashlee Wright was voted the 2007 SAC Tournament’s Most Valuable Player. Wright finished Sunday’s tournament final with 14 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field. The Myrtle Beach native averaged 18.7 points per game during the tournament.
“Up until today, Ashlee Wright has been one of the most underrated players in the SAC,” said Brink, “The key about Ashlee is that she never complained.”
Frasier was also named to the all-tournament team. The Walterboro native averaged 20 points and 9.7 rebounds per contest during tournament play. Frasier finished Sunday with 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field.
In a first half that featured four lead changes and seven tie scores, Newberry bolted out to a five point lead over the last 4:49. The Lady Indians put together an 8-0 run to take a 28-23 lead into the locker room, capped off by junior Brandi Gray’s baseline drive, coming from the farside to kiss one off the high glass with 33 seconds remaining in the first.
The Lady Indian pressure defense forced 12 turnovers from the Lady Eagles in the first stanza and scored 20 of 28 points in the paint.
For Newberry, Monica Alexander had 11 points and Goodman finished with 10. The Lady Indians out-rebounded the Lady Eagles 28-to-23 and the scarlet and gray shot 56.6 percent (30-of-53) from the field during the final.
Carson-Newman had three players in double-digits, including a double-double from Shari Buford. The Lady Eagle freshman forward finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
The consecutive SAC tournament championships did not lose any splendor for Brink the second time around. “I think this time I appreciate it even more,” said Brink, “It was a more difficult season.”
“Our team goal was to repeat as SAC champions,” said Brink, “Our unspoken goal was to return to the NCAA tournament, but going back is not enough. We want to win and advance.”
