Lady Pirates headed to C-USA championship game

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on March 4, 2007 2:07 AM

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TULSA, Okla. -- No. 2 seed UAB found itself in another nail-biter, but No. 3 seed East Carolina ultimately hung on for an 85-81 win in the semifinals of the 2007 C-USA Women's Basketball Championship at Donald W. Reynolds Center in Tulsa, Okla. on Saturday afternoon. With the win, the Lady Pirates have advanced to their first-ever Conference USA Championship game.

LaCoya Terry scored 30 points and hit two free throws with 1.7 seconds remaining that ultimately sealed the win.

ECU built up a 52-46 lead after an 8-0 run capped by Terry's layup off a fast break. But the Blazers steadily climbed back and took a 67-65 lead with 7:11 remaining on Diamond Rogers' 3-pointer from the top of the key.

It was a seesaw battle the rest of the way with big shots coming one right after another. Terry hit the first of two free throws with 11.7 seconds remaining, and the Pirates led 83-81.

Carmen Guzman, the C-USA Player of the Year, drove the lane and missed a potential game-tying shot. She got the rebound but fell in a scrum and was called for traveling. Guzman finished with 26 points, and Rogers had 20.

The Pirates will now face No. 4 seed Rice in the championship game today at 5:30 p.m.. The matchup will be televised nationally by ESPN2.