Lady Vols escape with narrow win over Presbyterian

Southern Sports & Travel

With 5:38 remaining in regulation Trista Magee had just sank two free throws to give third ranked Presbyterian a 33-21 lead over top ranked and defending Overall Champion Starkville.

Three minutes later Starkville finished off a 15-2 run to regain the lead at 36-35 and went on to defeat Presbyterian 40-37 to advance to today’s Class AAA State Championship game against second ranked MRA.

Sallie Kate Richardson scored 11 points and grabbed 8 rebounds and Anna Lea Little added 10 points as Starkville improved to 39-0 and kept their winning streak dating back to last season intact at 48 games.

Starkville uncharacteristically looked rattled in the early stages on the contest as Presbyterian started out of the gates focused and fired up.

The Lady Bobcats would strike first as Trista Magee converted on two free throws following a Starkville turnover at the 6:19 mark of the opening quarter and an offensive rebound and put back from Hannah McCarter doubled the Presbyterian lead at 4-0 on the ensuing possession.

Anna Lea Little would get Starkville on the board at the 4:30 mark with two free throws but Presbyterian’s aggressive play was paying dividends for the Lady Bobcats.

Lilly Waites pushed the Presbyterian lead to 6-2 on a driving basket but Starkville would quickly trim the lead to one point at 6-5 as Nora Kathryn Carroll drained a 3-pointer from the wing with 3:21 left in the quarter.

With 2:25 remaining in the quarter Presbyterian had just grabbed a 10-7 lead after a Reagan Dykes basket and the Lady Bobcats would ultimately have the last possession of the quarter following Starkville’s sixth turnover of the quarter with less than 30 seconds to go but Presbyterian returned the favor as Tiffany Huddleston’s steal and lay-in at the buzzer pulled the defending champions to within a point at 10-9 heading into the second quarter.

The Lady Vols grabbed their first lead of the game at 11-10 on a Tiffany Huddleston bucket in the paint forty five seconds into the quarter and Nora Kathryn Carroll provided a huge offensive boost with a 3-pointer from the wing and later an offensive rebound and score to increase the lead to 16-10 with 5:47 left in the half.

Presbyterian answered as Trista Magee scored on three consecutive possessions to knot the contest at 16-16 with less than three minutes to go before intermission.

Sallie Kate Richardson would give the Lady Vols a slim 18-16 lead as the junior sank two free throws with 3 seconds left on the clock to close out the half.

Presbyterian tied the game at 18-18 in the opening minutes of the third quarter as Reagan Dykes dished out an assist to Hannah Sellers in the paint and after Anna Lea Little converted on one of two free throws to give Starkville the lead back at 19-18 Presbyterian closed the quarter strong.

Trista Magee cashed in on a Starkville turnover with a basket in the paint at the 3:19 mark to give the Lady Bobcats a 20-19 edge.

That was followed by a Hannah McCarter 15 foot jumper to extend the lead to three points.

Following a Starkville turnover Reagan Dykes nailed a 3-pointer to give Presbyterian their biggest lead at 25-19 with 2:06 left in the quarter.

Sallie Kate Richardson stopped a five minute Starkville scoring drought with a jumper in the paint from 8 feet out and the quarter would close with Presbyterian adding a Hannah McCarter free throw to take a 26-21 lead into the final quarter of play.

Presbyterian pushed the student section into a frenzy to start the fourth quarter as the Lady Bobcats produced a 7-0 run to take a 33-21 lead with 5:38 left in regulation and forcing a Starkville timeout.

Starkville’s response? A 15-2 run sparked by Anna Lea Little and Sallie Kate Richardson to regain the lead at 36-35 with 2:14 left to play.

That lead was short-lived as Hannah McCarter hit two free throws to give Presbyterian the lead once more at 37-36 with 1:56 left in the game but that would be the Lady Bobcats last lead as they would score no more.

Maggie Proffitt converted on two free throws with 41 seconds remaining to give Starkville the lead for good at 38-37 and Sallie Kate Richardson did the same with 23 seconds to go as the Lady Vols took a 40-37 lead and eventual final score.

The win sets up a 2012 Class AAA State Championship rematch with second ranked MRA.

Sallie Kate Richardson led Starkville with 11 points, Laura Lea Little added 10, Nora Kathryn Carroll 8, Tiffany Huddleston 7 and Maggie Proffitt 4.

For Presbyterian (26-6) Trista Magee had a game high 20 points, Hannah McCarter chipped in with 7, Reagan Dykes 5, Lilly Waites 3 and Hannah Sellers 2.

Presbyterian will take on East Rankin today in the consolation game. The winner advances to next week’s Overall Tournament.

Post Game with Starkville Head Coach Glenn Schmidt