ERIE, Pa. – The No. 5 West Texas A&M women's basketball team fell in the closing minutes in the 2014 NCAA National Championship 73-65 to No. 1 Bentley Friday evening at the Erie Insurance Arena. With the loss, the Lady Buffs ended their season at 32-3 and Bentley finished 35-0.
"What a game," head coach Mark Kellogg said. "Not necessarily the word fun now would be fitting, but it was quite a battle. It was the two best teams in the country going at it tonight, two teams who were playing very well with a ton of confidence. For the majority of the game we were the better basketball team, but it is a 40-minute game."
The Lady Buffs led 58-49 on the third triple from freshman Madison McLain with 5:38 left. Bentley closed the deficit to four with 3:29 remaining. Two free throws by junior Chontiquah White pushed the lead back to six at 60-54 with three minutes left.
From there, Bentley scored six points in 13 seconds to erase the deficit, forcing two turnovers and scores on WT inbounds plays along with two free throws for a 60-60 game with 2:47 left. Griffin made one of two free throws for a 61-60 lead.
"Going in I didn't think their press would decide the game and our turnovers," Kellogg added. "We have been good all season in those situations, but got a bit rattled. We built the lead and they got it back so quick with the turnovers and easy baskets. I love these kids and am very proud of them. This is been the easiest team to coach and it's been as much fun as I've ever had with a basketball team. For anyone to think a year ago we'd be in this place right now they'd be lying. They bought in immediately and we had a tremendous group of seniors and they battled and gave me everything they could. I'm upset I couldn't get these kids over the hump in the final two minutes and find a way to win."
A triple from Battista and a steal and bucket gave Bentley a 65-61 lead with 1:54 left for an 11-1 Falcon run. White calmly knocked down to free throws to cut the deficit to two with 1:55 left. A layup by Bakolas put the lead back to four with 57 seconds left.
Two charges on WT in the final minute proved costly and gave Bentley free throws and a 71-63 lead with 19.1 seconds left. Senior Casey Land made two of three free throws after being fouled on a triple, bringing WT within 71-65. Two more free throws gave Bentley the final margin of 73-65.
Over the final 5:38, which was WT's last field goal, the Lady Buffs were outscored 24-7. It was the first time all season WT lost leading with five minutes to play (28-1).
Despite the final five minutes, the Lady Buffs had an outstanding season as they won the Lone Star Conference regular season, tournament and South Central Region championship. The Lady Buffs advanced to their second national championship game in program history (1988). The 32 wins are second-most in school history (33 in 1988).
The Lady Buffs were led by Griffin who scored 16 points in the second half for 20 total points on 9 of 18 shooting. She led the team with eight rebounds and three blocks. No other Lady Buff was in double figures.
WT, which was the better team for most of the night, shot 47.9 percent from the field on 23 of 48. It was 5 of 13 from beyond the arc and 14 of 20 from the line. The Lady Buffs pulled down 30 rebounds and had just nine assists on the evening as they entered the game leading the nation in assists at over 19 per game. 15 turnovers proved costly as they committed seven miscues in the final 5:38 of the game.
Bentley was led by three players in double figures as Courtney Finn led the way with a game-high 21 points. She was 4 of 13 from the field, but was 12 of 12 from the line. Jacqui Brugliera chipped in 17 points on 6 of 10 shooting, while Lauren Battista was 6 of 12 from the field for 14 points and a triple.
The Falcons shot just 40.4 percent for the game on 23 of 57. They were 5 of 17 from beyond the arc, but were 22 of 24 from the line which proved to be a big difference in the outcome of the game. The Falcons had 18 assists and 12 miscues, while leading the battle of the boards 33-30.
Following the game, the All-Tournament Team was announced as Brugliera earned Most Valuable Player accolades, while the rest of the team consisted of White, Finn, Battista and Jada Blackwell of Cal Poly Pomona. Griffin was surprisingly left off the all-tournament team.
The Lady Buffs jumped out to an early 11-3 lead capped with a triple from senior Raven Gerald, a nice rebound and put back from senior Casey Land and a jumper from senior Lacee Logan for an 11-1 run over the last four minutes as Bentley needed a timeout with 14:58 left in the half. Bentley scored the first field goal of the game, but all five starters for the Lady Buffs scored through the first five minutes.
Bentley started just 2 of 10 from the field, while the Lady Buffs were 5 of 9.
Land and Finn exchanged triples heading into the final 27 seconds of the half. After a timeout by Bentley setting up the final shot, Battista had a look at the buzzer but it went off the front of the iron for a tie game at intermission at 24.
For the half, the Lady Buffs shot 10 of 22 from the field for 45.5 percent. They were 2 of 6 from range and just 2 of 3 from the line. Eight of the nine players who played in the half scored. Land led the way with five points.
Bentley shot 29.2 percent for the half on 7 of 24. The Falcons were 2 of 6 from range and 8 of 9 from the line which kept it in the game. The Falcons held a 16-13 lead in rebounds and 6-3 on the offensive end.
Both teams had not been tied at half the entire season. Bentley's closest was 28-27 at Pace. This also is WT has led or trailed by one three times this season at intermission in a three-game stretch in all three games of the LSC Championship in Allen, Texas, in early March.
Two quick buckets, including an "and one", which gave Bentley a 29-26 lead with 18:54 left and a timeout by WT. Out of the timeout, Griffin pulled WT within 29-28. Griffin then scored again inside for the WT lead at 39-29 with 18 minutes left.
Griffin became the first Lady Buff in double figures and one of two charity tosses out of the first media timeout tied the game at 35-35 with 15:49 left. She then gave WT a 37-35 lead with 15:11 left.
The teams basically traded buckets over the next four minutes as WT held a 43-41 lead with 11:37 left. A big triple from freshman Madison McLain in transition gave WT its largest lead of the half at 46-42 with 9:43 left. Griffin with an offensive rebound and put back swelled the WT lead to 48-42 and a timeout by the Falcons with 9:13 remaining.
McLain drained her second triple for the largest lead of the game at nine and a 55-46 lead with 6:45 left. Fouls began to mount up for Bentley with two players with four and one with three heading down the stretch. McLain drained her third triple for a 58-49 lead with 5:31 left and a timeout by Bentley.
Two quick buckets by Bentley brought the Falcons within 58-53 with 4:31 left. One of two free throws by Christina Bakolas brought Bentley within 58-54 with three minutes left. Two quick buckets and a foul on WT tied the game at 60 with 2:47 left.
It was the final game for five fantastic seniors who each put their mark on the WT program both individually and as a team.
"They cemented their legacy before this game started," Kellogg added. "This is one of two WT teams who have played in this game. Nobody has won it in women's basketball. I told them 'You're going down as the best women's basketball team in program history.' This team was unbelievable all season and they have been a pleasure to coach."
Griffin leaves the program with 1,450 career points as she finishes ranked eighth all-time in school history. She finishes with 629 rebounds.
Land finishes with 1,067 points and 173 triples in 123 games played with 115 starts. Her 173 triples ranks her fifth all-time in school history. She also leaves with 393 assists (4th) and 209 steals ranking ninth.
Gerald transferred to WT last season and started every game in her career (67). She leaves scoring 484 points, 81 triples, 246 assists and 72 steals. She went 153 of 378 from the field for her career (.405).
Like Land, senior Sally Higgins and Logan also were four year players for the Lady Buffs. Higgins earned her first career start on Senior Night this season and has had her best season statistically in her career. She averaged 6.0 points per game in 19 minutes of action and went 75 of 150 from the field (.500) with 15 triples and 45 of 65 free throws. She had 68 assists with 20 steals and finished third on the team in rebounding at 3.4 per game.
Logan, who came back this season after an ACL injury just 10 games in last season, finished her career with 766 points and 133 triples. She played in 98 games with 60 starts and went 283 of 728 from the field and 133 of 397 from beyond the arc. She had 172 assists and 71 steals.