The BG News

Issue date: 3/21/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Jason Rentner

Media Credit: Jason Rentner FRANTIC LEAP: Kate Achter does what she can to get to the ball.

Media Credit: Jason Rentner SHOT PREP: Carin Horne goes for a shot.

Media Credit: Jason Rentner MORAL SUPPORT: The fans go wild at the three-point win.

Media Credit: Jason Rentner GOT IT!: Ali Mann slides across the court in victory.

Media Credit: Jason Rentner IT WAS GOOD: Coach Curt Miller kept the team motivated until the end.

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Against an oversized Vanderbilt offense, with the nation's top 3-point shooting, BG's defense was in for their greatest test of the year in round two.

Not only did they pass the test, they aced it.

The Falcons held the Commodores to just 2-of-10 from 3-point range and 43.5 percent shooting from the field to punch a ticket to Greensboro, NC, with a 59-56 win.

Going up against players 3- to 5- inches taller, the Falcons post players refused to give and held Vanderbilt to 20 points under their season average.

"We just didn't back down," said BG's Amber Flynn. "They were bigger, taller and we held our ground."

Flynn and Liz Honegger were the two Falcons in charge of defending those bigger, taller post players and remained strong throughout the game, as Vanderbilt never once took a lead.

While BG's offense struggled down the stretch, it was the team's staunch defense which kept them in it until the end.

"Our offense wasn't coming to us as good as it normally does, so we really had to buckle down and pick up our defense a lot," said BG's Carin Horne. "We knew our shots would come, but defense wins games."

The Falcons were able to force 11 first half turnovers and hold Vanderbilt to 24 points at halftime. A big reason for Vanderbilt's lack of production was BG's swarming perimeter offense, which held it's sharp-shooting opponent to just three 3-point attempts - none of which were converted.

"We knew coming into the game that they're the best 3-point shooting team in the country, so we got out on staggers and got hands in their faces," said BG's Lindsey Goldsberry.

The outside pressure threw the Commodores out of sync in the paint, as they struggled to get their oversized post players inside touches.

"I think we disrupted their offense and really made it hard for them," said BG's Kate Achter, who grabbed four of BG's 31 rebounds in the game.

While the Commodores forced more turnovers, BG was able to convert twice as often on the 15 turnovers they created, turning relentless defense into instant offense.

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