2015 VisitSpaceCoast.com Gulf South Conference Championships Info

By Jim O'Hara
 
ROME, Ga. – There are certain moments in sports that define a team's place in history.

Such was the case earlier this week, when the Shorter women's basketball team legitimized itself in its first-ever NCAA Division II postseason appearance in by winning their first-round game of the 2015 VisitSpaceCoast.com Gulf South Conference Championships.
The Lady Hawks, however, would like nothing better than to make that moment last even longer.

Fresh from coming up with a shocking opening-round road win when Shorter, the tourney's No. 7 seed, ousted No. 2 seed West Florida, the Lady Hawks (13-16) resume the extended season Friday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. when they square off against No. 3 Delta State (18-9) in the GSC tournament semifinals at the Pete Hanna Center on the Samford University campus in Birmingham., Ala.

"What a great night it was. What a great win," Shorter head coach Vic Mitchell said his team's 82-78 win over West Florida on Tuesday that opened the door for the Lady Hawks to the conference final four. "Our focus and determination was so strong. It was a program win – it gives credibility to the program."

Even better, the Lady Hawks did it with just eight players, all who have morphed into a single unit and who have become even more determined having had to play without the services of two key players – Lindsey Crawford, who was lost for the season in Shorter's final home game of the regular season game against Delta State, and Shaundricka Mann, who has been in the team's thoughts and prayers after having to endure the passing of her mother last week.

"It's been tough," Mitchell said about the mind-set the team has had to deal with. "We were short-handed but everybody stepped up and played like their capable of playing. It was the most solid performance we've had all year.

Although Shorter had the upper-hand throughout most of the game, the Lady Hawks found themselves holding a narrow three-point lead with just under five minutes left to play. But that's when they reeled off seven unanswered points – Madison Rice provided the final five of the run – to seal the win.

So balanced was the effort that the Lady Hawks placed four players in double figures as Tamarr Williams led the way with 16 points (she collected 12 in the second half and hit nine of 10 free throws), Rice added 14 and Ieshia Alexander and Cynara Pitt had 13 each.

Of even more importance was the performance in the paint of Jackie Hudson and Tatiana Allen as Hudson contributed nine points, eight rebounds and four assists, while Allen came off the bench to lead the team with nine rebounds and add seven points.

"It was fun," Mitchell said, "but now we have to get over it and play another game."

That game on Friday may be an even bigger challenge for the Lady Hawks as they will not only square off against a Delta State squad that not only handed Shorter two losses during the two teams' regular-season meetings, but is the GSC's most storied program having won a record 15 conference championships and is the nation's all-time Division II team in winning percentage.

During the regular season, the Lady Statesmen dealt Shorter a 58-38 setback in Cleveland, Miss., then held off the Lady Hawks in Rome 47-42, a game in which Shorter found itself within striking distance until the final buzzer sounded.

In their first-round game Tuesday, Delta State downed Valdosta State 60-50 as the Lady Statesmen held on for the win by converting eight of 10 foul shots in the final minutes with All-GSC selection Chelsey Rhodes canning five of them on her way to a game-high 18 point night.

Rhodes, however, is just one of three threats for the Lady Statesmen as teammates Seneca Walton and Rhandi Ball – they were also All-GSC picks this year – form a potent inside duo under the boards.


"We've got to play better offensively," Mitchell said. "You've got to make your shots against them because they're so good in the post."
In Friday's first semifinal, No. 1 seed Union, the nation's No. 16-ranked team, faces No. 4 seed West Georgia at 2 p.m. The semifinal winners advance to the GSC championship game on Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Hanna Center.

"This team has overcome so much to get where they are," Mitchell said of the Lady Hawks. "What they have done for the program will be remembered for years to come."