Despite scoring just 10 points, NSU junior forward Cristy Nitz saved six of them for the final two minutes of action.
Nitz had two game-tying free throws and then a go-ahead basket that propelled Northeastern State, the No. 1 seed in the North, to a 65-59 win over Abilene Christian in Wednesday’s fourth and final quarterfinal game of the LSC Championships.
The RiverHawks, who improved to 24-3, advance to face Texas Woman’s in Friday’s semifinal round.
ACU’s season is over at 12-15, but it was an impressive finish for the Wildcats, who led by four with 4:47 remaining when freshman Mack Lankford drilled a 3-pointer. ACU held a 59-57 lead after two Lankford free throws with 2:59 to play, but the Wildcats would never score again.
Nitz tied the score with two free throws and then hit an off-balance bank shot with 36 seconds to play to untie the game. Nitz later put the RiverHawks up by two possessions with two more free throws.
NSU had all five starters in double figures, paced by Jasmine Webb’s 16 points. Tosha Taylor added 12, Taylor Lewis scored 11 and Nitz and Jasmine Wright each added 10. Not to be forgotten, Sarah Green came off the bench to grab 13 rebounds.
And the RiverHawks needed all of them as ACU out-rebounded NSU 43-31. The Wildcats got a big game from Kelsey Smith, who had 16 points and 15 rebounds. However Smith, and Autumn Whitaker – the team’s lone senior – both fouled out in the final three minutes of play.
Lankford, the LSC South Freshman of the Year, scored 18 points to lead all scorers.
NSU led for most of the game in the first half, holding a 36-30 halftime edge. But the Wildcats made a push in the second half, but had 19 turnovers, to just 12 by the RiverHawks.
NSU GAME NOTES
NSU is 10-8 in Lone Star Conference Tournament play.
This is the fifth win in a tourney opener for NSU and every time they have won their first round game they have advanced to the championship game.
NSU is now 10-1 against teams in the LSC Tournament field.
Jasmine Webb surpassed 1,200 points for her career and currently has 1,212 points.
Tonight was the first time all season that NSU had five players score in double-figures.
ACU notes
The Wildcats are the only team in the tournament field with a losing overall record at 11-16 overall after Wednesday's loss. ACU has now dropped five straight postseason tournament games, dating back to the 2007-08 season and including regional games. The Wildcats are 1-4 in LSC Championship Tournament games held in Bartlesville, Okla. - the lone win was in the quarterfinals in 2008 (88-82 over Texas A&M-Commerce).
LSC South Division Freshman of the Year Mack Lankford scored 18 points for the Wildcats to lead all scorers in the game. She was third in the LSC in scoring average coming into the week at 18.2 points per outing. She finishes third in total points for a freshman in ACU history with 490. She is also third in the record books with an 18.2 points per game average.