March 20, 2008

JACKSON, Tenn. - The second-seeded Langston (Okla.) University Lady Lions used a 14-2 run midway through the second half to take the lead for good in a 75-68 victory over the seventh-seeded Berry (Ga.) College Vikings in a first-round game at the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship.

 

The Lady Lions, who extended their current winning streak to 27 games, were led by senior forward Jamie Skinner's 21-point, 12-rebound double-double, both of which were game-highs. Skinner also recorded three blocked shots.

 

Berry took a 43-42 lead with 14:07 remaining in the game on freshman guard Erica Crumley's three-pointer, but Skinner capped the game-turning 14-2 run with six straight points to give Langston a 56-45 advantage with 9:50 to play, a lead it would not relinquish. Berry came right back to within a point with a 15-5 run that cut the lead to 61-60 with 4:08 to play, but the Lady Lions scored seven straight points over the next minute and a half to hold on for the win.

 

Langston trailed by as many as nine points in the first half, the last time at 33-24 with just under three minutes left before halftime. Senior guard Dominique Thomas stole an inbounds pass underneath the Berry basket with seven seconds left in the half and went coast-to-coast for a game-tying layup as time expired in the period, capping a 9-0 run over the final three minutes that sent the game into halftime knotted at 33-33.

 

Thomas finished with 15 points, nine rebounds and five assists, and sophomore center Jenissa Harris added 13 points, six rebounds and a pair of blocks for Langston.

 

Berry was led by junior guard Nikki Jackson's double-double, a 20-point, 10-rebound performance, and Crumley made four-of-seven three-pointers in an 18-point effort off the bench for the Vikings. Junior forward Briana Caldwell added 12 points.

 

The victory is Langston's second consecutive first-round win, after it advanced to last year's national quarterfinals. The Lady Lions improve to 31-1 overall and advance to a 9 a.m. second-round matchup on Friday against sixth-seeded Trevecca Nazarene. Berry finishes its season with a 26-8 record.