CHAMPIONSHIP INFO
POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. – Top seed and host Ozarks built a big enough lead to hold off the No. 5 Lady Jackets, 71-61, in a semifinal game at the NCCAA Championship.
Cedarville, 13-17, will close the season on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. EDT against No. 3 Sterling in the consolation contest.
The only points for CU in the first quarter was a
Chloe Downing three-pointer at the 7:50 mark.
The Bobcats built a 19-3 margin after ten minutes and a 39-15 bulge by halftime.
The Jackets rallied and got to within 64-58 on a pair of
Ella Sellars free throws with 4:18 remaining before running out of time.
Downing finished with 15 points and six rebounds.
Emma Kay Martin had 13 points while Sellars and
Harmony Laker contributed 11 points each.
Quotable: Head Coach Addy Miller
"College of the Ozarks came out firing and played a really strong, consistent game for the full 40 minutes. I'm genuinely disappointed with our effort in the first half. We've talked about it all season - defense has to travel, because offense won't always show up, and tonight we let our offense dictate our defense far too much.
"We responded with much better intensity in the third quarter and got it back to within six in the fourth, but we dropped a couple of key possessions and just couldn't quite get over the hump. I hope moving forward this was a game we can look back on and learn some valuable lessons from."
Five Facts:
- The Lady Jackets had their five-game winning streak snapped.
- Cedarville outscored COFO 46-32 in the second half.
- Sellars dished out six assists.
- The Jackets knocked down 14-of-16 free throws.
- CU committed 10 turnovers, but forced 16 by the Bobcats.
