3/10/08 Monmouth-Robert Morris women's NEC Tournament game story for the Pittsburgh Tribune Review

Robert Morris women top Monmouth

By Denis Gorman
For the TRIBUNE-REVIEW

BROOKLYN, NY - Sade Logan rolled off a screen, finding herself alone in front of the Robert Morris bench waiting for a pass. With a picture-perfect jump shot a millisecond later, Logan assured that the reigning Northeast Conference champions will have the opportunity to defend their title.

Logan tied her career high with 38 points -- the third most in tournament history -- to lead second seed Robert Morris to a 67-52 win and a berth in the NEC championship game with a win over Monmouth on Sunday afternoon at the Wellness, Recreation and Athletic Center.

Logan finished 15 of 30 from the field and 7 of 17 from 3-point range. The 15 field goals tied a tournament record, while the seven 3s set a tournament record.

"I was nervous coming into the game. I have the (shoulder) brace on, so I didn't think I was going to shoot as well," Logan said.

That will come as little consolation to Monmouth. According to coach Michelle Baxter, the Hawks played a switching man-to-man defense because it was more conducive to winning than playing a zone.

"(Logan's) a great athlete. I was doing all I could (against her)," said Monmouth guard Marisa Jimenez. "All she needs is a little bit of space and she (makes her shots)."

Like the opening she found in front of her bench with 2:51 remaining and Robert Morris holding a 58-50 advantage.

"I felt it was a dagger, that they had to do a lot more to catch up," said Logan, the NEC's Player Of The Year. "That just was the dagger and made them work even harder to catch up and they couldn't."

At the half, the Colonials (22-9, 17-2) had a 38-28 lead, primarily due to Logan and guard Angela Pace. Logan almost matched the sixth-seeded Hawks' (11-19, 7-12) offensive output, scoring 22 first-half points. Pace grabbed seven rebounds -- five offensive -- and finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Chinata Nesbit added 12 points, six rebounds, four blocks and three assists.

That trio will be vitally important next Sunday at the Sewall Center, as Robert Morris will play for the conference championship and an NCAA berth against Long Island. Despite two eight-point regular-season losses (a 76-68 loss Feb. 9 and a 63-58 loss March 1) to the Colonials, LIU (24-7; 13-5) is looking forward to the matchup. It will be the Blackbirds' first appearance in the NEC championship game since a 74-53 loss to St. Francis (Pa.) in 2002.

"We don't care who we play or care where we play," said LIU coach Stephanie V. Gaitley. "We care that we are playing.

"Their kids are very athletic. We are going to have to play intelligently. We are going to have to control Logan (and) Nesbit. We have to stay true to what we do and we have to take something from the first two. The kids can't wait for Robert Morris."

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St. Francis (NY)-Robert Morris Women's NEC Basketball Tournament game story

Robert Morris women whip St. Francis (N.Y.)

By Denis Gorman
FOR THE TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, March 9, 2008

BROOKLYN, N.Y. -- A sly smile creased Chinata Nesbit's face a split second before she razzed her coach.

"We should have started the game with it," she said, with a laugh, when asked about Robert Morris' press defense.

The press worked in the second half, as the Colonials pulled away for a 77-62 win over St. Francis (N.Y.) in Saturday's Northeast Conference Women's Tournament quarterfinal game at the Wellness, Recreation and Athletic Center at Long Island.

The second-seeded Colonials led by just a point at intermission.

"You've got to put it in at the appropriate time," Robert Morris coach Sal Buscaglia said about the press. "You've got to pick your spots."

There was much for the Colonials to be pleased with:

• Prior to the game, there was the announcement of junior guard Sade Logan winning the conference's Women's Player of the Year award and making the All-NEC first team, along with Nesbit.

• There was Nesbit's second career triple-double. She finished with 24 points, a career-high 18 rebounds and 10 assists. Nobody had recorded a triple-double in the first 30 years of Robert Morris women's basketball. Nesbit has done it twice in a four-game span.

• There was Logan scoring a game-high 25 points.

• Making her sixth start of the season, reserve guard Angela Pace tied a career high with 17 rebounds and added 18 points.

• The Colonials' 17 assists and 14 points off turnovers made Buscaglia content.

The Colonials (21-9, 16-2 NEC) will play sixth-seeded Monmouth, which upset No. 3 seed Sacred Heart, 75-70 yesterday, in the second semifinal at 4:30 p.m. today. Quinnipiac and Long Island will play in the first game.

Robert Morris won both games against Monmouth this season, while splitting the series against Sacred Heart. The third meeting of the season between the Colonials and the Lady Terriers (10-20; 7-11 NEC) was a back-and-forth affair.

Logan, Pace, Nesbit and Kendra Williams were the lynchpins of a 17-2 run in a 5:51 span of the first half, and the Colonials had a 23-9 advantage.

Defensively, the quartet pressured St. Francis' ball handlers, forcing turnovers which led to fastbreak baskets. When the Lady Terriers were able to bring the ball past half court, Logan and Williams forced St. Francis into taking hurried shots.

St. Francis finished the final eight minutes of the first half by outscoring Robert Morris, 23-10. At the half, Robert Morris held just a 33-32 lead.

"There are peaks and valleys. Basketball is a game of runs," Buscaglia said. "It's the team that can come back from the other team's run that is successful. ... We always talk about the start of the second half as one of the key parts of any basketball game."

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