Ladyjacks Rally From 14-Point Deficit to Knock Off Lopes in Semifinals

Friday, March 15

Las Vegas, NV

4:30 p.m.

Stephen F. Austin

22-11,14-6WAC

Grand Canyon University

24-8,16-4WAC

SFA

Grand Canyon

Ladyjacks Rally From 14-Point Deficit to Knock Off Lopes in Semifinals

3/15/2024 10:30:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Peter Trainor, Student Assistant for Strategic Communications

LAS VEGAS, NV. - The Stephen F. Austin women's basketball team (21-11, 15-6) rallied from a slow first quarter to claim their third straight win this season over WAC rival Grand Canyon University (24-7, 16-4) in the WAC Conference semifinals to advance to the WAC Championship game tomorrow for a revenge match against the California Baptist Lancers.

The first quarter saw the Lopes rattle off the first four buckets of the contest, before Kyla Deck would drain a free-throw to get the scoring started for SFA with GCU leading 6-1 two minutes into the opening quarter. The Lopes would take control for the remainder of the first quarter as they would end the first quarter with an 11-2 scoring run, with Tyler McCliment-Call recording a steal defensively and taking it coast-to-coast to get SFA their first basket of the quarter, however, GCU held a 17-3 lead at the end of one.

The Ladyjacks wasted no time getting the scoring started in the second quarter as Kyla Deck would make a driving layup 20 seconds into the second, which was followed promptly by a Tyler McCliment-Call three-pointer on the very next SFA possession to cut the Lopes lead down to 17-8 two minutes into the second quarter. Following a mini 4-0 scoring run for GCU, the Ladyjacks potent three-point shooting started to heat up midway through the second as Mele Finau and Avery VanSickle splashed back-to-back triples to inch SFA closer at 21-14 in favor of the Lopes. Following a basket from the Lopes, SFA would spark a 11-2 scoring run thanks to a three-point play from Trinity Moore, and the lights out three-point shooting from SFA continuing as both Tyler McCliment-Call and Avery VanSickle would drain triples for SFA, with the scoring run capped by a pair of Kyla Deck free-throws to completely flip the script of the game with the two teams suddenly knotted up at 25 apiece with two minutes remaining. The outrageous shooting from beyond the arc would continue for SFA as Mele Finau would drain the Ladyjacks sixth three-pointer of the quarter with just under a minute remaining to launch SFA into the lead 28-25 heading into halftime. Tyler McCliment-Call, Avery VanSickle, and Mele Finau formed a three-headed shooting monster for SFA in the quarter as all three Ladyjacks recorded a pair of three-pointers in the quarter to turn a 14-point deficit entering the quarter into a three-point lead at the end of the quarter.

The Lopes would open up scoring out of the halftime break as Naudia Evans would knock down a triple for GCU to tie the game at 28 just 20 seconds into the third quarter. GCU would briefly take a 30-28 lead off a fastbreak layup, however, the Ladyjacks made sure the GCU lead was short lived as they exploded for a 11-0 scoring run thanks to five points from Destini Lombard, as well as baskets from Kurstyn Harden, Tyler McCliment-Call, and Kyla Deck to launch SFA back in the lead 39-30 three minutes into the third quarter. Following a mini 4-0 run by the Lopes to trim the SFA lead to 39-34, Tyler McCliment-Call continued her scorching hot shooting from beyond the arc as she knocked down her third triple of the game to put SFA back ahead 42-34. The two schools would exchange a pair of baskets midway through the third as points from Destini Lombard and Mele Finau were offset by six GCU points, however, SFA still led 46-40 at the midway point of the third. GCU would go on another mini 4-0 scoring run with three minutes remaining to trim the SFA lead down to two points at 46-44, however, a strong play in the paint resulted in a classic Kurstyn Harden three-point play to put SFA back ahead by five at 49-44. The Lopes would add a free-throw with 25 seconds left to close out scoring for the third quarter, with SFA still leading 49-45 heading into the final quarter of play.

The fourth quarter saw the Lopes open the quarter on a 6-2 scoring run to tie the game at 51 apiece just two minutes into the fourth. However, Mele Finau continued to showcase her range as she would knock down her third triple of the game to put SFA back ahead 54-51. The Lopes would briefly take the lead on a 4-0 scoring run, however, SFA would respond with a 4-0 scoring run of their own to reclaim a slim 58-55 lead over the Lopes halfway through the fourth. Four straight free-throws by the Lopes would regain them a 59-58 lead over SFA, however, Kurstyn Harden continued her clutch free-throw shooting for the 'Jacks as she drained a pair of them with two minutes left to put SFA back in the lead at 60-59. Harden would give SFA some breathing room as she would grab an offensive rebound and bank home the second chance layup to give SFA a 62-59 lead with 90 seconds left in the game. Kurstyn Harden continued to showcase how vital she is to the SFA lineup as she would score the final eight SFA points, including a pair of clutch free-throws with six seconds left to give SFA a huge 66-63 lead, a lead they would not relinquish in an eventual 66-63 win over GCU to punch their ticket to the WAC Championship tomorrow, March 16th against the California Baptist Lancers.

Big time players come up with big time plays in big time games, and Kurstyn Harden came up with just that for SFA. Despite a relatively "quiet" game for Kurstyn Harden's standards, when SFA needed their biggest player to step up for them, she answered the call once again for the Ladyjacks to help them punch a ticket to the WAC Championship. The four-time WAC Player of the Week is making sure to leave her mark on the Ladyjacks basketball program as she has now scored double-digit points in eight straight games, including a stretch where she scored 20+ points in six straight games. Harden once again led the team in points, as she closed out today's semifinal game by scoring the final eight SFA points, finishing with 16 points total, while pulling down four rebounds, and adding a block and two steals defensively. With Harden gaining so much attention from the GCU defense in the paint, it allowed SFA's three-point shooting to find their groove when they needed a rally most. Tyler McCliment-Call, Mele Finau, and Avery VanSickle helped turn a 14-point deficit after the first quarter that saw SFA score just three points, into a 25-point second quarter that saw them drain six three-pointers. McCliment-Call and Finau both drained three triples apiece, with both finishing in double-figures with points as McCliment-Call finished with 13 points while Finau finished with 11 points. VanSickle on the other hand drained a pair of three-pointers to help keep the foot on the gas for the SFA offense in the second quarter. Mele Finau crashed the boards all game long as she pulled down a team-high six rebounds, while Kyla Deck setup Ladyjacks with scoring opportunities all game long as she led the team with five assists.

The Ladyjacks made 23 shots from the field, however, it was the three-point shooting and free-throws that played the biggest part in the win for SFA. The Ladyjacks knocked down nine three-pointers as four different Ladyjacks made at least one triple, and while the Ladyjacks free-throw shooting was not their usual efficient and effective self, they made the free-throws that mattered most as Kurstyn Harden made four clutch free-throws for SFA over the final two minutes to help seal the win over GCU. SFA turned six steals and three blocks into 14 points off turnovers, while scoring 28 points in the paint courtesy of Kurstyn Harden, and getting 10 points from their bench powered by Avery VanSickle.

The Ladyjacks will keep on dancing in March as they will look to carry over the momentum and confidence from this semifinal win over GCU, into a winner-take-all rematch with the California Baptist Lancers tomorrow, March 16th with tip-off for the highly anticipated championship game scheduled for 12:30 p.m. CST. The championship game tomorrow will be broadcast on national television as you can watch the game and all the action with it on ESPNU, while also following live stats found on the SFA Athletics website, and by following along on the Ladyjacks Basketball social media accounts.