2006 SCAC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT
SEMIFINAL ROUND

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Trinity University advanced to the SCAC title game for the fourth consecutive year with a hard-fought 73-65 victory over Oglethorpe University in the women's first semifinal game Saturday night at Rhodes College.

The difference for the Tigers was on the boards and at the line. Trinity used its considerable size advantage to out-rebound the Petrels 44-34 and by banging the ball inside, received 21 free throw opportunities - cashing in on 17 of them. Oglethorpe was just 9 of 15 from the charity stripe.

First-year post Krista Prato-Matthews led four Tigers in double figures and finished with a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds and senior forward Jennifer Farrar had 14 points and eight rebounds. Sophomore guard Leda McDaniel finished with 11 points and five steals and sophomore post Martha King came off the bench to add 10 points.

Oglethorpe was paced by the efforts of first-year guard Anna Findley, who hit on 7 of 10 shots from the floor in posting a team-high 15 points. She also had six rebounds. First-year forward Biz Richmann had 13 points, first-year guard Katie Kulavic finished with 11 points and four steals and junior guard Erin Flynn added 10 points.

After playing to a 34-34 draw at the half, Trinity scored the first eight points of the second half and led by as many as 15 with 7:53 remaining. Oglethorpe would get no closer than seven (67-60) the rest of the way.

The Petrels, who wer ranked fifth in the latest South Region poll, must now hope their 21-6 overall mark is good enough to draw an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament. Oglethorpe, one of the biggest turnaround stories in the nation, was just 9-16 a year ago.

Trinity improves to 20-6 with the win and awaits the winner of tonight's other women's semifinal match-up between DePauw and Rhodes. Tip-off of tomorrow's women's championship game is 2:30 p.m. CT.