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Terre Haute

Coverage of the women's Final Four

2002 season

Eastern Connecticut 62, Salem State 61
WILLIMANTIC, Conn. — Sophomore All-America forward Allison Coleman sank a free throw with 4.2 seconds left to snap a tie and give Eastern Connecticut State a 62-61 win over Salem State on Wednesday in an opening-round game of the NCAA Tournament at Francis E. Geissler Gymnasium.

Eastern (26-2) advances to a second-round game Saturday at 1 p.m. against host Springfield (24-3). The Pride drew a first-round bye. Salem, the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference champion, finishes at 21-7. With the win, Eastern snapped a streak of six consecutive postseason losses (four NCAA, two ECAC), dating back to 1992 and set a program record for season wins.

Eastern, which remained unbeaten in 15 home games this year, trailed by four with 4:18 left but rallied back. Senior guard Darcy Mund hit a driving layup to tie the game 61-61 with 2:12 left and after an exchange of missed shots and turnovers by both teams, Eastern inbounded following a timeout with 23 seconds left. Unable to penetrate the Salem defense, Coleman was fouled after pulling up for a 15-footer with 4.2 seconds left. Coleman swished the first one after a Salem timeout and missed the second one after an ECSU timout. The Vikings inbounded the rebound but a long pass down the right sideline sailed out of bounds as time expired.

Despite commiting 15 turnovers, the Warriors led by as many as ten in the first half and by seven, 34-27 at halftime. Eastern scored the first six points of the second half to go up 13, 40-27 but a 16-2 Salem run gave the Vikings their second one-point lead of the game, 43-42 with 12 minutes left. Salem scored six straight points later in the half to go up 59-55 with 4:19 left before senior post player Kristyn Grassi scored off her own offensive rebounds and senior forward Joanna Debicki hit a 15-footer to tie the game at 59 with 2:38 left.

Coleman, named the Little East Conference Player-of-the-Year Monday for the second consecutive season, had a game-high 16 points and added nine rebounds, five assists, five streals and two blocked shots. With just three points and three rebounds at halftime, Debicki finished with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Four players finished in double figures for Salem, led by junior guard Kara Smolinsky and freshman guard Kelli Reardon with 14 each. Junior center Betsy Nichols and senior guard Casie Rhodes each added 11. Reardon had 12 points on 5-for-7 shooting in the second half while Smolinsky had nine second-half points. Nichols added a team-high nine rebounds and five blocked shots in the game.

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