March 16, 2007

JACKSON, Tenn. - First-seeded Vanguard University (Calif.) built up a 20-point first-half lead and held off a second-half rally from fourth-seeded Oklahoma City to post a 66-57 victory over the five-time NAIA champion Stars in the second round of the 27th Annual NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Championship at Oman Arena.

Jessica Richter's first basket of the game lifted Vanguard to its first lead of the game at 6-4 less than three minutes into the game, sparking a 26-6 run that gave the Lions a 30-10 advantage with less than five minutes to play in the opening half. Vanguard went into halftime with a 33-16 advantage. After trading baskets to start the second half, an Alexandra Kotta three-pointer set off a 17-2 flurry in less than six minutes that cut the Vanguard lead to just two points at 37-35 with over 11 minutes remaining. Kotta knocked down three three-pointers and blocked a Vanguard shot during the stretch.

Rachel Besse answered for Vanguard, converting a three-point play on the Lions' next possession, and a Lindsay Rinke three-pointer with nine and a half minutes to play gave Vanguard a 44-37 cushion. From that point on, Oklahoma City trailed by at least five points as Vanguard scored 14 of its final 17 points at the free throw line. Jessica Richter's three-pointer with 4:38 to play provided the difference, and it pushed the Lions' lead to 11 points at 56-45.

Richter led all scorers with 26 points, and she added six rebounds and a tournament single-game high six steals. Kelly Schmidt added 16 points and a team-high seven rebounds, scoring all 10 of her second-half points from the free throw line.

Oklahoma City was led by Viola Beybeyah's 18-point, eight-rebound effort, while Kotta finished with 17 points and four steals. The Stars' second-round exit marks their earliest exit from the tournament since a 1998 second-round defeat to Campbellsville (Ky.).

With the win, Vanguard improves to 30-0 on the season and advances into the quarterfinals for the fifth straight year, where it will meet second-seeded Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.) Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. Oklahoma City drops to 27-8 to finish the season.