VCU ADVANCES TO FIRST-EVER CHAMPIONSHIP GAME WITH 69-60 WIN OVER JAMES MADISON
NEWARK, Del. (March 15, 2008) ? Senior guard Krystal Vaughn poured in a game-high 19 points and sophomore guard La’Tavia Rorie tied her career-high with 17 points as third-seeded Virginia Commonwealth University defeated #2 James Madison, 69-60, in the semifinals of the 2008 Aeropostale CAA Women’s Basketball Championship at the Bob Carpenter Center on Saturday.
VCU sophomore guard Kita Waller added 15 points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field, while connecting on 7-of-8 free throws for the Rams.
CAA Player of the Year Tamera Young led the Dukes with 16 points and eight rebounds. Senior forward Jennifer Brown contributed 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting and freshman guard Dawn Evans chipped in 11 points.
VCU (25-6), which defeated the Dukes for the third time this season, advances to the championship game for the first time in school history, while James Madison, which had appeared in the semifinals in 21 of the last 25 seasons, fails to make the title game for the first time since 2005.
James Madison (22-9) held its largest lead of the game at 11-7 with 13:39 to go in the first half before VCU used a 21-7 run over the next seven minutes to take a 10-point advantage at the 6:15 mark. The Dukes reeled off nine of the next 11 points to pull within three on a layup by senior forward Jennifer Brown with 27 seconds left before the break.
Rorie hit a three-pointer with four seconds remaining to give VCU a 33-27 advantage at the half.
The Rams extended their lead to nine to start the second half before James Madison used a 13-6 run to pull within 42-40 with just over 13 minutes to go. The Dukes cut VCU’s lead to one less than two minutes later as Brown, who was fouled on a layup, converted a three-point opportunity.
VCU again used a 13-4 spurt to pull back ahead by 10 on a jumper by junior forward Radoslava Bachvarova with just over five minutes remaining.
James Madison could only get as close as five points the remainder of the game as VCU made 7-of-8 free throws down the stretch.
VCU will face the winner of top-seeded and 14th-ranked Old Dominion/#5 Towson in the championship game on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. The game will be televised on Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic.