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March 12, 2004

Box Score

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - The 23rd-ranked West Texas A&M University Lady Buffs took the sting out of the eighth-ranked Emporia State University Lady Hornets, 60-55, in the NCAA-II South Central Regional quarterfinals Friday at Springfield, Mo., hosted by Drury University at Weiser Gymnasium.

The third time was the charm for WTAMU head coach Bob Schneider, who defeated his son, ESU head coach Brandon Schneider, for the first time in three tries.

The sixth-seeded Lady Buffs, making their first regional appearance in four years, advances to the regional semifinals for the first time since 1998-99, when WTAMU lost to ironically, Emporia State.

WTAMU faces Lone Star Conference foe, seventh-seed Northeastern State, who stunned second-seed and No. 18 Angelo State, 73-65, Friday, as the Lady Reds got some revenge from last Saturday's 78-63, loss in the LSC Championship game.

Friday, sophomore guard Jennifer Brock hit four free throws in the final 12 seconds and junior forward Vasha Adams snared some crucial rebounds in the final minutes.

WTAMU was led by junior forward Celeste Stevenson's game-high 12 points and nine rebounds, one board short of her seventh double-double, while senior guard Carlee Howard added 10 points, including seven in the first half.

Junior guard Suni Jo Petty and sophomore forward Keisha Monroe added eight points apiece off the bench, while sophomore guard Tiffany Lewis netted eight points.

ESU was led by Nicole Patry's 11 points, while Andi McAlexander chipped in with 10 points and Janel McNeal pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds, leading the Lady Hornets to a 41-32 rebounding advantage.

However, the WTAMU defense forced an ESU season-high 29 turnovers, and only sent the Lady Hornets to the free throw line four times, their lowest of the season. ESU was 3-19 (15.8 percent) from 3-point range.

Friday's battle royale contest started as back and forth slugfest, with each team matching the other blow for blow, as ESU took an 8-7 lead with 16:25 to play. That would be the Lady Hornets' last lead for awhile, as WTAMU grabbed control and wouldn't relinquish it for awhile, opening a 21-16 lead with 5:28 left, after a trey from Lewis and a layup from Monroe.

However, ESU clawed back to tie it at 27-all at halftime.

The Lady Hornets charged out of intermission, taking their largest lead of the game at 35-39 with 16:46 on the clock on a Patry 3-pointer, capping an 8-0 ESU run. The Lady Buffs called a timeout and charged back as Petty capped the charge by squeezing a jumper in between a pair of trifectas in a span of just over two minutes to give WTAMU a 42-39 lead.

The Lady Buffs went ahead 46-39 with 10:15 after a bucket from Stevenson, prompting an ESU timeout.

Maintaining the trend of blasting out of a timeout, ESU took a 49-48 lead with 5:32 to play on an 10-2 run, capped by eight unanswered points.

WTAMU followed suit with a timeout, but ESU took a 53-50 lead after an acrobatic oop from Vargas-Sanchez' alley by Petry. The Lady Hornets then called timeout to set up their defense.

However, it backfired as Adams and Stevenson hit respective layups to take a 54-53 lead and prompting another ESU timeout.

Coming out of the 30-second break, Adams fought off a pair of ESU defenders for a rebound and put the ball back in to give WTAMU a 56-53 advantage with 38 seconds on the clock.

After another Lady Hornet timeout, ESU's Miklannet Tennal's long 3-pointer was just off the mark and Adams rebounded, but traveled.

Patry fired a trey from the corner that rattled off the rim, and Brock rebounded and was fouled.

She coolly netted both free throws with 12 seconds on the clock to put WTAMU ahead, 58-53.

ESU's Michelle Brown drove the lane for a layup with 6.8 seconds to pull the Lady Hornets within 58-55.

However, Brock was fouled on the inbounds play and hit two more from the charity stripe to secure the victory.

WTAMU faced Northeastern State on the Lady Reds' home court on Dec. 4, with the Lady Buffs claiming a 69-64 win, as WTAMU dealt the then-No. 15 Lady Reds their first loss of the season.

Saturday's game can be heard on the Buffalo Sports Network on KGNC 710 AM or streamed on the Internet at www.gobuffsgo.com.

-WT-