CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Virginia Union’s Shareka McNeill tied the CIAA Women’s Basketball Tournament record with 59 points as the Lady Panthers cruised to a 91-57 victory over Livingstone College Wednesday, Feb. 27 during the 2019 Women’s Basketball Quarterfinal Round at the Bojangles Coliseum.
Shareka McNeill ties the record with North Carolina Central’s Cassie King who set the tournament record in 2005 against Bowie State.
As the winner, Virginia Union (25-2) advances to the semifinal round to face the winner of the South’s No. 2 seed, Johnson C. Smith and the North’s No. 3 seed, Lincoln (Pa.) on Friday at 1 p.m. at the Spectrum Center.
Shareka McNeill who was the lone Lady Panther to score in double digits, lit up the scoreboard on 19-of-29 shooting from the field that featured 14-of-20 shots from the 3-point line and 7-of-8 from the free throw line to go along with four steals while Darra Walker paced Livingstone (10-20) with 14 points, followed by Asia Green with 13 points, five rebounds and two assists. Daisa Harris would finish with 12 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and one block to round out the double-figure scorers.
In the opening quarter, the Lady Panthers took a 34-16 lead ignited by Shereka McNeill who registered 25 points in the quarter alone on 7-of-7 of shooting from the 3-point line.
The Lady Blue Bears mustered its way back in the contest to cut the deficit to 17 points with a layup from Adel Allen early on in the second quarter but Virginia Union gathered a 25-11 scoring run to take a commanding 60-29 lead over Livingstone at halftime.
Shareka McNeill led all scorers with 38 points (13-13 from the floor) as the Lady Panthers shot 65.6-percent from the field (21-32), 71.4-percent (10-14) from behind the arc and 8-of-12 (66.7-percent) from the charity stripe.
Dasia Harris had 11 points and four rebounds to lead the Lady Blue Bears who accounted for 31.0-percent (9-29) from the field, including 7-of-16 (43.8-percent) from long distance and 80-percent (4-5) from the free throw line.
Offensive woes continued for Livingstone in the second half as the Lady Blue Bears hit just two shots compared the Lady Panthers who charted seven baskets to outscore LC 21-9 in the third quarter.
Although LC held a 19-10 scoring frame over VUU in the fourth quarter, the late surge would prove to be too late as the Lady Panthers cruised for the win.
Courtesy: CIAA
