In a thoroughly entertaining game (if you were a Wildcat fan) the Nova women pounced on Georgetown early and often to move on to the Big East quarter-finals tonight against Syracuse. The game started with a really nice crowd held over from the DePaul-Marquette game (over 7,000) and Nova put on an offensive and defensive exhibition.
Georgetown opened in a zone and got blitzed by a three point barrage with two Roberts threes in the first minute. Georgetown swithched to a man and got beaten inside. The Nova passing was crisp and accurate and open looks were abundant. WIth a 50-27 lead at half thanks to 10-15 from outside the arc, most of the big crowd headed for the exits. Their loss as the Nova offense contined to impress and Sugar Rogers from G-town really put on a show.
Nova finished with 17 three pointers, one shy of the team record and blowing away the Big East tournament record by 3. Sugar Rogers was unstoppable the whole game until she started to tire near the end. With about a minute to go she drained a long three under pressure and her coach took her out to get a career ending ovation from the crowd, which she did, including the Nova fans. However, rumor has it, someone from the Nova staff pointed out to G-town that her 40 point night was one short of the BE tourney record. Back onto the court she came with about 22 seconds to go. G-Town immediately fouled to put Nova on the line and get the ball back. Harry immediately obliged by fouling Rogers on the inbounds pass and she sank the first to tie and the second to get the record before retiring to an even bigger ovation. The highest scoring and one of the best individual D-1 performances I have ever witnessed in person. Harry's apparent actions were somewhat similar to his allowing Nykesha Sales to break the then UConn scoring record at the beginning of her final game by allowing her to get a layup after breaking her ankle in their prior game one point short of the record.
Outstanding Nova performances all around, nobody spectacular, but everybody productive, including Caroline Coyer who returned for the first time after breaking her hand at midseason. Hopefully the threes will continue to fall tonight against Syracuse, with a win gettng us a semi-final date with UConn Monday night, assuming they get by DePaul in the first of the two evening quarter-finals tonight. Lots of fun against Georgetown, with the Syracuse women looking on for the first half and then leaving to probably get something to settle their stomachs down after withnessing the Nova bombers.
We should definately be in the NCAA, a win tonight and a good showing against UConn would help with the seeding. Let's send Syracuse off to the ACC with a resounding whooping.
I knew it was a long time since we scored that many points; the Nova website story indicated it was way back in Janaury 2001 against West Virginia when we put up 98. It looks like we may be peaking at the right time. Let the good times roll!
Go Nova!
