Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 17, 1991 TAG: 9103170216
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: STATE COLLEGE, PA. LENGTH: Medium
Even James Madison.
But when Jeanine Michealsen blocked Tanya Garner's 3-point shot at the buzzer, no one was more surprised than James Madison's women's basketball team, which advanced to the NCAA Eastern semifinals with a 73-71 victory Saturday.
It was the first time in the 10 years of NCAA Women's Tournaments that a No. 1 team lost in its first playoff game.
"The buzzer goes off and I'm standing there, and I realize we've won," forward Vicki Harris said, dropping her mouth open to show disbelief.
The Dukes (26-4) trailed 11-0 in the first 4 1/2 minutes and were down 41-29 at halftime. They outscored Penn State 18-6 in the first seven minutes of the second half - while Atlantic 10 player of the year Susan Robinson was on the bench with three fouls - to tie the score at 47.
Penn State (29-2) was seeded No. 1 in the East Regional and playing on its home court.
"I am stunned and very disappointed. All of us can point out what went wrong," Penn State coach Rene Portland said, referring to the shorter Dukes outrebounding the Lady Lions and 19 seconds of confusion at the end of the game.
"The girls knew what play to run, but didn't know we just had 19 seconds left," Portland said. "At the time of the panic, they didn't have the frame of mind to call a timeout."
Garner dribbled the time away, looking for a shot inside but settling for a 21-foot attempt at the buzzer.
"I tried to penetrate, and when I looked back up there were only four seconds left," she said.
She dribbled to the right and at the buzzer shot right into Michealsen's outstretched arms.
The Dukes found the Penn State confusion uncharacteristic.
"I was confused. I didn't know who to guard. I believed they were either going to set a pick for [Susan] Robinson or Tanya would go inside and shoot it. It never happened," Harris said.
James Madison, which defeated Kentucky in a first-round game Wednesday night, took a 62-54 lead on back-to-back short jumpers by Michealsen. Penn State tied the score at 65 and 67 on Susan Robinson's 8-foot jumper and Tanya Garner's layup, but could not pull ahead.
Michealsen put James Madison up for good on a tip-in with three minutes left. Brandy Cruthird's layup put the Dukes up by four points a minute later.
In the final minute, Garner hit a layup to cut James Madison's lead to 73-71. After rebounding a miss by the Dukes with 20 seconds left, Garner ran down the clock until putting up a 3-point attempt from the right wing. Michealsen, three inches taller than Penn State's 5-foot-7 guard, blocked it cleanly as time expired.
The Dukes advance to the East Regional semifinals at Philadelphia.
Harris had 18 points to lead James Madison, Paula Schuler added 13, and Michealsen and Cruthird had 11 apiece.
by CNB