Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, April 5, 1993 TAG: 9304050059
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ATLANTA LENGTH: Medium
UNBELIEVABLE PERFORMANCE
The first emotion anybody saw out of Sheryl Swoopes on Sunday was with 58.1 seconds remaining in the NCAA women's basketball final.Swoopes, who scored on a finger roll and was fouled, punched the air with a fist that was more jab than roundhouse or uppercut.
Even Swoopes, not known for her theatrics, couldn't pass up the chance for a little celebration.
In a performance that no doubt will set the standard for future women's championships - or games, for that matter - Swoopes scored 47 points to lead Texas Tech past Ohio State 84-82 at the Omni.
It was the most points in a Division I championship game, men's or women's, topping the 44 points scored by UCLA's Bill Walton against Memphis State in 1973. Swoopes' 177 points for five NCAA Tournament games shattered the previous record of 134.
"You don't really appreciate Sheryl Swoopes until you have to stop her," Ohio State coach Nancy Darsch said. "Not only did she hurt us with her scoring, but we take pride in our defense and it left us dejected when she hit so many tough shots."
Everybody laughed Saturday when Vanderbilt coach Jim Foster observed that Swoopes might not have been at her best in a 31-point performance against the Commodores. He probably didn't realize what a prophet he would be.
Swoopes, a 6-foot senior, scored in every conceivable fashion against the Buckeyes and finished 16-of-24 on field-goal attempts. She made all 11 of her free throws to finish 57-of-61 for the tournament.
Sixteen of Ohio State's first 21 fouls were committed against Swoopes, although none of the Lady Red Raiders went to the free-throw line until 11:34 remained in the game.
Texas Tech subsequently made 19 of 23 free throws, one reason it was able to overcome a 41-24 rebounding deficit. Texas Tech was 34-of-41 (82.9 percent) on free throws in its two Final Four games.
Ohio State, down by nine points early in the second half, twice led, the second time at 62-61 on a three-point play by freshman Katie Smith with 8:30 left. It was one of six three-point plays by the Buckeyes in the second half.
Although Smith missed her first free throw in a bonus situation with 1:12 left and Ohio State trailing 77-73, the Buckeyes had a chance until Swoopes' finger roll. The resulting free throw gave her seven straight Lady Raiders points.
"People always say that I don't show much emotion," Swoopes said, "but after that play I was really excited. It was definitely the most emotion I've shown since I was playing.
"There came a point in the game when I personally felt I had to take control. The other players were working so hard to get the ball to me that I felt I needed to score whenever I got it."
Swoopes, to this point unanimous as national player of the year, tried to deflect as much attention as she could to fellow seniors Cynthia Clinger and Krista Kirkland, but it didn't work. Kirkland was the only other Texas Tech player in double figures, and she had 11 of her 14 points before halftime.
Smith finished with 28 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Buckeyes, who finished 28-4 in their bid to claim the school's first NCAA title in any women's sport. Ohio State needed a 3-pointer at the buzzer to come as close as it did.
"We didn't go in thinking we could stop Swoopes," said Nikki Keyton, one of four players who spent time guarding Swoopes. "We just tried to hold her to her average or below."
Swoopes, who did not foul out of a game all season, scored 23 first-half points.
The Lady Raiders, ranked 15th in The Associated Press preseason poll, had one victory in six NCAA Tournament games until this season. They won their last 19 games to finish 31-3.
"Our goal was to let these kids go out the biggest winner they could," said Sharp, who started three seniors, "but little did we know in November that they'd go out the biggest winner of all." \
see microfilm for box score