From staff reports
sports@joplinglobe.com
SHAWNEE, Okla. — Sophomore guard Misty Haley sank a free throw with one second left to complete a 19-point rally and lead Northeastern A&M; College to a 67-66 victory over Northern Oklahoma-Tonkawa on Thursday in the women’s Region II Tournament in the Oklahoma Baptist University Noble Center.
With the victory, coach Jim Rowland’s defending champion Lady Norse (23-7) advance to the semifinals at 1 p.m. Saturday. NEO will play No. 2-ranked Arkansas-Fort Smith (29-1), which dismantled Western State 90-45.
During the regular season, the Lady Lions won the two-game series with the Lady Norse — 92-62 on Feb. 7 in Miami and 87-66 on Feb. 25 in Fort Smith.
“We better get ready to attack their zone because that’s what they’ll throw at us,” Rowland said. “They are so talented at executing full court pressure and we’d better be ready to handle it.”
The Lady Norse, despite two putbacks by Nolisha Markham, trailed 35-24 at halftime.
“I told them at halftime that ‘I can’t make shots,’ ” Rowland said. “We were getting anything we wanted, but nothing was falling.
“We went 9-of-27 from the field and four of those were 3-pointers,” Rowland said. “We shot 33 percent while they hit 43. That’s why we were in such a hole.”
Northern, which entered with 21 straight losses to the Lady Norse, received a 3 from Amy Pryor, a traditional field goal and free throw from Hardin and a layup by Erin Sheik to build a 43-24 cushion two minutes into the second half.
“I called time with 7:30 left in the game and I told them that true champions would take control of the situation,” Rowland said. “Misty (Haley) is a true champion. She was on a state championship team at Oktaha and she played in the NJCAA National Tournament last season.”
Markham sank a field and free throw and Fraley canned a 3-pointer to rally NEO within 64-56 with 5:20 left.
A putback by Holly Hardin at 4:54 was Northern’s last basket.
Layups by Fraley and Markham preceded seven straight points by the diminutive Haley as the Lady Norse completed the comeback in the final four minutes.
With the score tied 66-66, Haley took a pass from Fraley as the clock ticked down. Northern forward Ali Aresco fouled Haley on a jump shot at the top of the key with one tick left.
After sinking the first free throw, Rowland told Haley to miss the second. She did with Northern grabbing the rebound and calling time at 0:00.4.
The inbounds pass from Winters was knocked away by NEO’s Autumn Thompson at the buzzer.
The 5-foot-6 Haley scored a career-high 26 points. Markham and Fraley, who had 10 rebounds, added 16 and 12 points, respectively.
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