March 7, 2009

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Behind a double-double from Justine Raterman and a career-high 19 points and clutch three-pointers from De'Sarae Chambers, the University of Dayton women's basketball team upset the nationally-ranked and no.1 seeded Xavier Musketeers in overtime of the Atlantic 10 Championship Quarterfinals Saturday Afternoon.

The Flyers moved to 20-12 overall for its second-straight 20-win season. The win also marked the first time Dayton defeated a ranked opponent since the 2001-02 season when the Flyers beat #25 Maryland.

UD will make just its third-ever semifinal appearance in the conference championship on Sunday, March 8 at noon ET. Dayton will face Richmond.

Fans can follow Sunday's match-up with Gametracker at www.DaytonFlyers.com. The contest will also be nationally-televised on CBS College Sports Network.

"I'm very proud of our team," said head coach Jim Jabir. "To be this young and play with the kind of poise and courage they did today. It's inspiring."

"Xavier is a great team and to go toe-to-toe with them...we held them to 30 percent from the field and out-rebound them by six. To show this kind of resilience and character shows we have kids with character. We beat a great team today. "

Chambers scored a career-high and game-high 19 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field and 4-of-6 shooting from three-point range. Chambers hit two back-to-back treys in the final minutes of the second half to keep the Flyers in the game.

Raterman tallied her eighth double-double of the season with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Eleven of Raterman's points came in the first half. Junior Kendel Ross tied her career-high in rebounds with 16.

For Xavier, A-10 Player of the Year Ta'Shia Phillips grabbed a game-high 19 boards and finished with 10 points, while fellow teammate Special Jennings scored 17 points in the game.

The first half was a back-and-forth battle that featured five ties and four lead changes.

Xavier scored first, but Dayton jumped out to an early lead, 9-6 lead behind a trey from Justine Raterman and jumper from Patrice Lalor with 16:40 to play in the first.

However, the Muskies would regain the advantage after Ta'Shia Phillips scored and Special Jennings sank a three, 11-9. After April Phillips made good on a basket at 6:17, the score would remain knotted (22-22) for nearly two minutes until Kristin Daugherty netted a jumper.

From that point on the Flyers would go on a 7-0 run keeping the Musketeers scoreless for nearly five minutes. But, XU would sink two consecutive three's in the final minute of the frame, to trail only by one point at the break (29-28).

Dayton would hold onto the lead until the 12 minute mark of the second half when Jennings scored six-straight points for Xavier, 43-40.

The Flyers would trail for the next six minutes until Kendel Ross tied it up with a lay-up, 47-47. Ross would get up another point after a made free throw, but Xavier's Jerri Taylor scored a shot from beyond the arc taking the lead once again.

Chambers would hit pivotal back-to-back three's to keep the Flyers in the game with 1:33 left to play, however XU's Jennings and Taylor would answer back with trey's of their own to send the game into overtime, 56-56.

Xavier got on board first in overtime and had a four-point lead a minute in. But, Kayla Moses scored on a jumper and Raterman hit a three for a one point lead with a minute left on the clock.

Xavier would take it down the court and lose possession on a jump ball. Dayton's Daugherty would be fouled taking it up the court and get sent to the line. Daugherty made both baskets as Xavier couldn't get a shot up in the final nine seconds.