Wesley Advances to Championship Game
PURCHASE, N.Y. - Colleen Thomas (Howell, N.J./Howell) became the seventh player in school history to score at least 1,000 career points as Wesley College topped Manhattanville 70-66 in the semifinals of the ECAC South Championship Tournament.
Thomas combined with teammate Angie Owens (Seaford, Del./Seaford) for 42 points as Wesley hit 48 percent from the floor as a team.
Thomas sank 5-of-8 threes in the game and 7-of-11 field goals overall on her way to 20 points. Owens, meanwhile, was one of two Wolverines (17-12) who turned in a double-double, scoring a game-high 22 on 10-of-14 shooting to go along with a dozen boards. Cory Boyd (Point Pleasant, N.J./Point Pleasant) was the other Wolverines to tally a double-double with 10 points and 10 assists.
The first half featured 14 ties and lead changes as the two teams battled back and forth. Wesley led by as many as 11 in the period after a 14-4 run that featured two threes by Thomas put them ahead 28-17 with 7:58 to go in the period. The Valiants (18-11), however, scored the next 12 points to take a 29-28 lead after a jumper by Simona Gordon with 4:16 to go in the half. Consecutive threes by Boyd, Thomas and Michele Mules (York, Pa./Susquehannock) helped the Wolverines regain the lead as Wesley went into the locker room ahead 37-34.
Owens and Thomas combined for a dozen points during a 17-4 run to open the second the second half that resulted in a 54-38 Wesley advantage with 14:22 left in the game.
Manhattanville eventually whittled Wesley's lead to just two points after two foul shots by Gordon made it 68-66 with just 42 seconds to play.
Forced to foul, the Valiants sent Boyd to the foul line, who missed the second free throw. Owens grabbed the rebound and got the ball back to Boyd, who was again fouled and hit another free throw to ice the game with 14 seconds left.
Wesley held Manhattanville to just 11-of-32 shooting in the second half.
Gordon came off the bench for the Valiants to hit 6-of-8 field goals for a team-high 15 points. Courtney Turner added a dozen points, while reserve Carol Ortiz scored 10 in the loss.
Wesley sank 37 percent of their three-point attempts, while the Valiants managed just 1-of-11.
Led by Owens, Wesley dominated Manhattanville on the interior, outscoring them 22-4 in the paint.
Wesley, seeded seventh, will face eighth seeded Juniata in the championship game on Sunday, March 8 at 1:00 PM. The Golden Eagles dumped fourth seeded Alvernia 80-72 in the other semifinal.
The Wolverines will be seeking their first ECAC Championship in women's basketball.
