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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) -- Five good minutes at the start and five at
the finish was enough to send Tulane past Vermont in the first
round of the Mideast Regional of the NCAA women's tournament.
Grace Daley scored 30 points as Tulane (No. 21 ESPN/USA Today, No. 22 AP) overcame a 13-point second-half deficit for a 65-60 victory over Vermont on Saturday night.
"That was certainly one of our worst offensive performances of
the year," Tulane coach Lisa Stockton said. "I think we played a
good first five minutes and a good last five minutes, but Vermont
controlled the rest of the game."
The sixth-seeded Green Wave (27-4) trailed 48-35 with 12:23 to
play after 11th-seeded Vermont (25-6) opened the second half with a
21-3 run.
Daley said the Green Wave was never shaken.
"I think after the first half they started putting a little
more pressure on me," she said. "We've been in worse situations
and I don't think we lost our composure out there at any time."
Vermont managed only 12 points over the final 12:23 as Tulane's
pressure defense forced the Catamounts into turnovers and poor
shots.
"I can't wait to watch the game because it's kind of a blur,"
Vermont coach Keith Cieplicki said. "They just got way out ahead
of us too fast. We played well, but we didn't get some stops we
needed."
The Green Wave tied it 59-all with 1:40 left on Daley's
3-pointer from the left corner. After Vermont's Christie Lauzon hit
one of two free throws for a 60-59 lead, Daley drove the lane for a
basket and drew a foul. Her ensuing free throw gave Tulane a 62-60
advantage with 58.1 seconds left.
Daley and Taryn Turnbull then connected on three of four free
throws in the final 26 seconds.
"She had a lot early and we held her in check for a long
time," Cieplicki said of Daley. "When it comes down to the end,
it comes down to a couple of big plays and she made them.
Somebody's shot goes in and somebody's shot doesn't."
The Catamounts trailed 32-27 at intermission, but scored on
seven of its first nine possessions in the second half on the way
to a 13-point lead.
Sarah Goree added 15 points for Tulane. Karalyn Church led
Vermont with 26 points.
Tulane star Janell Burse finished the game with only seven
points.
"Janell Burse wasn't scoring tonight," Stockton said. "I
think they double and triple teamed her. I don't think Janell was
moving as much as she normally does. I think part of it was being
tense. She knows we rely on her a lot."
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ALSO SEE
Womens College Basketball Scoreboard
Vermont NCAA Team Report
Tulane NCAA Team Report
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