Date Posted: 3/9/2007

DOTHAN, Ala. – ETSU held off a furious Jacksonville rally for a 78-72 victory to advance to the 2007 Atlantic Sun Championship title game at the Dothan Civic Center. Senior Brooke Wilhoit scored a team-high 14 points to send the Lady Bucs to their first A-Sun title game.

ETSU (20-10) shot a blistering 53.8% from the floor and saw eight of the nine players who logged minutes score at least eight points. Coach Karen Kemp saw her bench play a crucial role in the game, outscoring JU 26-to-7.

Both teams started slow and Jacksonville (21-9) grabbed a 14-12 lead with 12 minutes left in the first half on a Virginia Gregoire layup. Wilhoit helped shake the Bucs out of their slumber by sparking a 9-0 run that vaulted ETSU into the lead for good. The All-Atlantic Sun guard drilled a pair of three-pointers before converting on an old fashioned three-point play to provide all the offense ETSU needed for that stretch.

Nakina Alford buried a three-pointer to lift the Dolphins back within two points, but ETSU went on a 13-5 run over the half’s final five-and-a-half minutes to carry a 40-29 advantage into the locker room.

JU managed one more run in the second half, making a slow rally before closing to within three points on a Courtney Jackson triple with just over two minutes remaining. However, ETSU coolly answered by reeling off six straight points to end the threat.

Two other Bucs joined Wilhoit in double figures as Michele DeVault overcame first half foul trouble to net 13 points and Latisha Belcher added 10 off the bench. Gregoire paced JU with 22 points, eight boards and five assists while Ashley Williams scored 17 points.

ETSU clinches a postseason berth with the victory. The winner of tomorrow’s championship game will head to the NCAA Championship while the loser receives a chance for redemption with the A-Sun’s automatic berth into the WNIT. Should ETSU fall, the Lady Bucs would advance to the WNIT over Jacksonville on the basis of their performance in the A-Sun Championship after tying the Dolphins in the regular season standings.

Related Links:
 • Full Coverage at Championship Page