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LADY PIRATES WIN UNCG AIRPORT MARRIOTT THANKSGIVING TOURNAMENT CROWN 73-59
 
Mills named Most Outstanding Player of Tournament following 22 point, 10 rebound performance

 
Nicole Days
 
Nicole Days
 
 

Nov. 26, 2005

Final Stats

Longwood-ECU boxscore
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Greensboro, N.C.--The East Carolina women's basketball team completed the UNCG Airport Marriott Thanksgiving Tournament with a 73-59 victory in the championship game over Longwood at Fleming Gymnasium on the campus of UNC-Greensboro.

The Lady Pirates (2-1) raised their level of intensity early following halftime, trimming a nine-point deficit to two points just under four minutes into the second half. LaCoya Terry's three-pointer gave East Carolina its first lead over the Lancers (2-3) since the nine minute mark of the opening half.

The two teams traded baskets over the next five minutes tying the score on five occasions, before the Lady Pirates finally built a 56-50 advantage to pull away with 8:11 remaining in the game. Six straight points, including two free throws by Cherie Mills pushed the Lady Pirates lead to eight, and they would never be challenged again.

"I was pleased with the second half because we shot the ball better tonight, which is a good thing, but we were a little more careless with the ball," said head coach Sharon Baldwin-Tener. "We did a great job in the second half on the boards, and limited their second shots. Cherie had a great tournament, and she did a good job tonight of staying out of foul trouble, being effective down on the block and hitting her free throws."

In a first half of streaks for both teams East Carolina trailed 36-27 at the half. Cherie Mills closed out the half scoring a jump shot in the paint to pull the Pirates within nine, scoring her team-high 12 points by the break.

 

 

Trailing 15-9 minutes into the first half, ECU would go on an 8-0 run over the next four minutes to assume a two point advantage. The Lancers answered with a run of their own after reassuming the lead to go on an 18-9 run and close out the half leading 36-27. During that stretch Longwood connected on 7-of-7 free throw attempts to lead.

East Carolina vs. Longwood
November 26, 2005
Game Notes

  • Cherie Mills netted a team-high 12 points at the half for the Lady Pirates.
  • Mills, tournament Most Outstanding Player, finished with 43 points and 15 rebounds, three blocked shots and nine-of-nine from free throw range for the two-day event.
  • Nicole Days earned first-team all tournament with a 10 point, four assist performance in the championship game following an eight point, eight rebound game in the first day.
  • The Lady Pirates move within five wins of the program's 500th victory.
  • First time since the 2003-04 season that the Pirates stand at 2-1 to start the season.
  • ECU is 10-6 during in-season tournaments under head coach Sharon Baldwin-Tener.

    Head Coach Sharon Baldwin Tener

    On playing a game of streaks: "In the first half it went back-and-forth until we fell behind right before the half. For most of the game we would make a run and they would make a run, but once we built a good lead we kept it. I was proud with a young team being able to handle being ahead and take care of the ball, and finish up strong."