March 24, 2008

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Last Second Free Throw Steals Sweet 16 Trip From Florida State

DES MOINES, IOWA - Even in defeat the Florida State women's basketball team showed that it belonged in the NCAA Tournament. The 11th-seeded Seminoles battled for 45 minutes but couldn't pull off the upset of the No. 3 seed and 13th-ranked Oklahoma State as they fell, 73-72, in overtime of the second round of the New Orleans Regional at the Wells Fargo Arena on Monday (March 24).

The Seminoles' season came to an end with a 19-14 record. Oklahoma State improved to 27-7 and will face LSU in the Sweet 16.

Junior Mara Freshour (Nashville, Ind.) canned a pair of three pointers in the final minute of overtime to tie the game at 72. As Oklahoma State sophomore Andrea Riley went to put up a shot at the end of overtime, Florida State guard Shante Williams (Jacksonville, Fla.) was whistled for a foul with 0.7 left on the clock. Riley missed her first free throw attempt but hit the second to give the Cowgirls the victory.

"I am proud of my team, we found a way to compete," FSU head coach Sue Semrau said. "It was a great game. There were 20 lead changes and 17 ties, it says a lot about the two teams. Look at Jacinta (Monroe) she put up a double-double with four fouls. Mara found a way to tie the game up. I'm excited about the future of Florida State women's basketball."

Three Seminoles reached double figures, led by 20 from Freshour. The guard nailed four three pointers to finish the season with a school record 66 three balls. Recording her third double-double of the season and the eighth of her career was forward Jacinta Monroe (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Five players grabbed four or more board as FSU out-rebounded Oklahoma State 73-72.

Monday's game was the final of a spectacular career for Williams. Her seven assists on the night pushed her Florida State career record to 451. She also had 19 points and six rebounds as well two blocks. Monroe had one block to finish the season with 78, which is just two off the FSU single-season record set by Brooke Wyckoff in 1997-98.

Oklahoma State barely out-shot the Seminoles, 36.8 percent (28-of-76) to 36.6 percent (26-of-71), but FSU had the upper hand behind the arc - 28.6 percent (6-of-21) to 4-of 24 (16.7 percent) - and at the free throw line - 66.7 percent (14-of-21) to 59.1 percent (13-of-22). Missed free throws did hurt FSU late in the game as it was perfect from the line until Williams and Monroe missed four-straight over the last 20 seconds of regulation and the first 1:37 of overtime.