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KATY, Texas – Number eight will be sticking around Merrell Center for another day.
Monet Neal’s blocked shot of Kassie Jones’ game-winning attempt with three seconds left allowed eighth-seed Houston Baptist University to remain alive in the Southland Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament bracket with a 49-48 heart-stopper over fourth-seed Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Friday afternoon, setting the Huskies up with a Saturday afternoon date against top-seed Stephen F. Austin.
“We had enough [effort], but what we had more today was heart,” said HBU coach Donna Finnie.
HBU needed that heart in the closing moments after Camesha Davis’ basket cut what was once a 10-point Huskies lead to a single point with 10 seconds left. The Islanders’ press defense forced a turnover on the ensuing possession, but Jones was not able to convert what would have been the go-ahead bucket for A&M-Corpus Christi, but the ball went out of bounds, giving them one last chance.
Jones’ drive to the basket was denied by Neal, as the clock ran out on the Islanders, who were attempting to give coach Royce Chadwick his 600th career win.
“This hurts,” said A&M-Corpus Christi senior forward Olivia Fouty, who scored eight points in her final game with the Islanders. “This game was supposed to be ours. I feel like they stole it from us.”
While the Huskies (14-17) had heart, they also had a suffocating defense that limited the Islanders (16-14) to just 29.5 percent shooting from the field, including a 9:26 sequence in the second half where they did allow a field goal to Corpus Christi, whose 36-32 lead became a 46-36 deficit.
Much of HBU’s focus came towards stopping all-conference first-team guard Shay Weaver, a job that fell mostly to Huskies guard Rachel Arthur, who was primarily responsible to limiting the Newcomer of the Year and the conference’s fifth-leading scorer to just six points on 1 of 11 shooting.
“Coach told me before the game that it was important for me to step up and be a defensive leader and stop (Weaver),” said Arthur, who also had 13 points for the Huskies.
The Huskies shot just 37.5 percent, yet found enough of an offensive stride to piece together a 14-0 run over an 8:46 span in the second half. Erin McGarrachan helped fuel the spurt with eight of her 16 points, including a jumper that gave HBU their 10-point lead with 5:12 remaining. McGarrachan also reeled in 10 rebounds for the Huskies, who used their 16 offensive boards to translate into 12 second-chance points.
Friday’s victory was a measure of redemption for the Huskies, who sustained a 73-48 loss in A&M-Corpus Christi just eight days earlier.
“Their confidence today was off the chart compared to where it was at our place,” said Chadwick. “I thought they played tremendous defense. We couldn’t score, and we can’t score, it’s been really hard for us.
“We did a pretty good job of keeping the defensive level where it needed to be, but we just needed a basket or two here and there.”
Tayler Jefferson added 10 points for the Huskies, while Jones led the Islanders with 13 points.
HBU lost both regular season games to Stephen F. Austin, falling 72-67 on the road on February 7 and losing 69-57 at home on February 28.
POSTGAME QUOTES
Houston Baptist
Head Coach Donna Finnie
Opening Statement…
“What a good effort. Unbelievable end to be able to secure the win because credit to Corpus. They came back and had some big shots in the last few minutes, but our defense stuck with it. It was a team effort. On the defensive end, everyone did the piece today. I’m really proud of all of them.”
On the composure…
“It wasn’t as good as it was yesterday and they’ll probably agree with me on that. They had enough, but what we had more of was heart. We talk all the time about wanting the ball more and wanting the win more. We stayed in it the whole game and believe and that’s so important in these types of games. It’s not coaches who finish games, its players who make plays and our kids did that.”
Senior Forward Erin McGarrachan
On rebounding…
“I know rebounding is a big thing for our teams, getting offensive boards. Coach has been on me all year about stepping up and I’ve been watching Anna [Strickland] and how hard she works. Yesterday she put in the work. It was helpful when the rest of the team was boxing out and I could pick it up.”
Junior Guard Rachel Arthur
On HBU’s defensive effort…
“Coach told me before the game that I would really need to step up and be a defensive leader. I needed to shutdown No. 10 [Shay Weaver] and that was my defensive goal. I was trying to make sure I shut her down at least in the second half because I know she got some shots up during beginning of the game. I’m so proud of my team for sticking it out and boxing out when we needed to. I wish we would have finished with a little but more of a lead, but we came out with the win and we were confident throughout. That’s what’s changed from the beginning of the year until now is our confidence and finishing games.”
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Head Coach Royce Chadwick
Opening Statement…
“Congratulations to Houston Baptist. They did the things they needed to do to win a basketball game. They got on the offensive boards and the got points in the paint. HBU is a tremendously athletic, well-coached team and when they get offensive rebounds and points in the paint they are a handful. We played tremendously hard. It was a max effort for all 10 players. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished.”
On the last time the Islanders played HBU…
“I thought HBU’s confidence level was off the chart compared to when they played at our place. They had a great crowd. I thought they played tremendous defense and we couldn’t score. When we can’t score, it’s been hard for our sophomore and juniors to stay focused and keep defending, but we did a pretty good job of keeping the defensive level where it needed to be.”
Junior Guard Shay Weaver
On the physicality game…
“[Houston Baptist] playing really well right now. They had a big win over McNeese State and they’re playing off adrenalin. Today you saw March basketball, that’s what it’s all about. It came down to the end, like coach said, we had our opportunities. We just didn’t capitalize.”