March 17, 2007

JACKSON, Tenn. - Fifth-seeded Lambuth University (Tenn.) joined a pair of other Tennessee schools in the semifinals after a 77-70 quarterfinal win over Southern Nazarene University (Okla.) at the 27th Annual NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Championship at Oman Arena.

Lambuth, making its fifth appearance at the NAIA Tournament, had never advanced past the second round in four straight appearances from 1999-2002, and the Eagles now join a Final Four field that includes five-time semifinalist Vanguard (Calif.), two-time defending champion and cross-town rival Union (Tenn.), as well as another Final Four newcomer, Lebanon, Tenn.-based Cumberland.

Lambuth trailed by as many as nine points in the first half, the last at 32-23 with 6:08 to play in the half before closing the period with a 17-9 run to narrow the gap to 41-40 at the break. After Khady Ngom opened the second half with a bucket that pushed the Southern Nazarene lead to 43-40, a Kelly Forrest three-pointer sparked a 13-0 run that game Lambuth a 53-43 lead less than five minutes into the second half. It was the largest lead of the game for Lambuth, and it was answered by a trio of three-pointers from Southern Nazarene's Lauran Hart, Lashelle Chandler and Kinzie Glover that narrowed the Lambuth lead to 55-54 with 11:50 remaining in the game.

Southern Nazarene tied the game at 62-62 on another Glover three, then took a 64-62 lead with 6:27 left on another Ngom basket. Lambuth got the lead right back with 4:37 left on a Reggie Maddox basket, only to have Ngom tie it back up at 66-66 with 4:05 remaining. Chandler gave Southern Nazarene its final lead at 68-66 on a pair of free throws with just over two minutes to play. On the ensuing possession, Kelly Forrest knocked down a three-pointer from the right wing that snapped a string of seven straight misses from three-point range, giving Lambuth the lead for good at 69-68 with 2:03 to play. Reggie Maddox scored the next five points, including a pair of free throws with 35 seconds left that gave Lambuth a 74-68 lead.

Maddox scored 16 of her game-high 29 points after halftime, and she grabbed a team-high nine rebounds and dished out five assists. Meghan Fuqua added 16 points and eight rebounds, and Dee Preyer finished with 12 points and six rebounds.

Ngom finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds to lead Southern Nazarene, and she was the only Crimson Storm player to reach double figures.

With the win, Lambuth improves to 25-9 overall and will take on Union (Tenn.) in Monday's second semifinal at 8 p.m. Southern Nazarene finishes the season at 29-6.