JOURNAL SPORTS
ALEXANDRIA — A tie-breaking three-point play by Erynn Williams with seven seconds left was the difference for regular-season champion LSUA to capture its second straight Red River Athletic Conference women’s tournament title Sunday evening, with a 54-51 final denying LSU Alexandria back-to-back upsets to win the tourney.
The Generals (23-8) barely missed knocking off LSUS (27-3) in the regular season finale a week earlier in a 52-51 loss at The Dock. After upsetting second-seeded Xavier (27-3) in the tournament semifinals Saturday, LSUA made a run at LSUS at the end of the championship game.
Senior Dannah Martin-Hartwick, who scored 22 twice to lead LSUA (23-8) in its first and second-round wins, nailed a 3-pointer with 18.2 seconds remaining to tie it at 51. But after a timeout, LSUS got the go-ahead layup and free throw from Williams, the RRAC’s Defensive Player of the Year, and survived after a last-gasp 3-pointer from LSUA was off the mark.
Paula Gonzales Herrero led the way for LSUS, earning RRAC Tournament MVP honors with a clutch performance of 17 points, five rebounds, and four assists. She was joined on the RRAC All-Tournament Team by teammates Rachael Emmanuel and Helena Galunic, who played key roles in the Pilots’ championship run. Galunic secured a team-high seven rebounds Sunday.
Selma Markisic scored 21 Saturday in an 81-61 semifinal win over Texas A&M-San Antonio and Gonzales Herrero matched that point total Friday in an opening round 84-61 romp over Paul Quinn. Emmanuel snagged 14 rebounds in the semifinal.
Despite shooting struggles Sunday — LSUS finished at 31 percent from the field and 27 percent from beyond the arc — the Pilots found ways to make big plays when it mattered most. Free throw shooting proved crucial in the closing minutes.
LSUS will await its NAIA regional assignment, which is expected Thursday.
LSUS MEN OUSTED IN FIRST ROUND: Texas A&M-Texarkana shot well and zoomed by the LSUS men’s team Friday morning with an 88-67 decision ending the Pilots’ season with no hope of an NAIA Tournament berth.
The Pilots finished 18-11 as Texarkana climbed to 20-9 but was eliminated a day later by seventh-seeded Southwest, which fell to regular-season champion LSUA in the championship game Sunday.
LSUS got 15 points and nine rebounds from Davion Coleman and 12 points by Tyler Washington and 11 points rom Tahjae Hill. The Pilots were outshot 47-40 percent and made 18 turnovers to only 9 by the winners.
BASEBALL NO-HITTER: Left-hander Cobe Reeves struck out nine Saturday and threw a no-hitter – one walk away from a perfect game — as unbeaten LSUS completed a sweep of its three-game RRAC series in Pineville at Louisiana College, winning 6-2, 5-4, and 12-0.
Reeves’ no-no came in seven innings and he threw 64 pitches, 50 for strikes. The walk came with two out in the top of the first. Reeves struck out the side in the fifth and retired the last 19 hitters he faced as LSUS raised its record to 19-0, 6-0 in conference.