Moore’s Buzzer-Beater Sinks No. 8 Nicholls
Courtesy of Brandon Williams, Southland Conference
Box Score | Photos | Tournament Central
KATY, Texas – Few nails were left after Nicholls and UIW opened the women’s portion of the 2022 Southland Conference Basketball Tournament on Thursday with an intense thriller worthy of a James Patterson novel.
Jaaucklyn Moore’s three-pointer at the horn propelled fifth-seeded UIW to a 74-73 win over eighth-seeded Nicholls, capping a dominating fourth quarter in which she scored 19 of the Cardinals 27 points to give UIW its first tournament win since becoming a Division I program.
“Throughout the season, I’ve got shots that were similar to that, so basically, it was bound for one of them to go in at some point,” said Moore. “It was a great pass from Destiny (Terrell) and a great screen from Jamie Means.”
The Cardinals will play fourth-seed McNeese State Friday at 11 a.m. CT. The Cowgirls won both regular-season meetings between the teams with a 67-57 road victory on January 22 and a 73-65 decision on Feb. 26.
UIW (10-16) appeared to be on the ropes when Amelia Sandie’s free throws gave Nicholls (4-22) a 73-68 lead with 16 seconds left, but Moore cut into the lead with a three-pointer with 13 seconds on the clock. The Colonels had a chance to secure the win, yet when second team All-Southland Conference guard Chyna Allen missed both free throws and Moore grabbed the rebound, there was life left in the Cardinals.
“I’m not going to lie,” said UIW head coach Jeff Dow, “I was trying to craft the postgame speech in my head.”
Moore’s attempt to tie the score glanced out of the basket, yet the Cards were able to maintain possession to set the stage for the stunning conclusion.
“We got a couple of breaks, but at the same time – and these two (Moore and Tiana Gardner) had a lot to do with it, we did enough to give ourselves a chance to win the game.”
Playing with only seven players, Nicholls did not look like a team that had lost its last eight coming into Thursday. The Colonels opened hot, hitting four of its first six shots that included a pair of treys from Allen, allowing them to take a quick 12-5 lead.
The Cardinals, meanwhile, stumbled out of the gate (7-for-18 shooting in the first quarter), but the ability to get to the free-throw line allowed them to inch closer, moving within 16-15 after Moore’s basket at the 1:41 mark of the first quarter. UIW forged a tie when Chloe Storer’s jumper from the left wing connected at the buzzer, evening matters at 19-19 after the first 10 minutes of play.
Allen – who scored a game-high 30 points -- opened the second quarter with a pair of treys to help the Colonels build a 27-21 lead before the Cardinals – again using free throws – worked back into the game. Storer’s jumper made things close as UIW drew within 31-30 at the 3:55 mark. The Cards held the lead briefly before Kate Manley’s layup 23 seconds before intermission allowed Nichols to take a 35-34 edge into the locker room.
Nicholls held the lead throughout the third quarter, yet UIW always remained within a possession as the teams went back and forth. The Cardinals were unable to break even until Destiny Jenkins knocked down a triple from the left corner (only the second from UIW) with :10 left in the quarter to tie the game at 47-all entering the final 10 minutes of regulation.
Moore opened the fourth quarter with a jumper that gave UIW a 49-47 lead and followed that with a three-pointer from the left wing to regain the lead at 52-49 with 8:58 left. Moore’s offensive spurt continued with a layup following a miss from Terrell that made it 54-49 at the 8:06 mark.
The teams reversed themselves, as it was now Nicholls trying to stay within range of UIW as the Cardinals held a 61-59 lead with 4:16 left. That lead was short-lived when Allen connected from the right corner to allow the Colonels to regain a 62-61 foothold with 4:03 remaining.
Again, UIW called upon Moore, who responded with a pair of free throws that put the Cards back up at 63-62. She then completed a convention 3-point play that provided UIW a 66-62 cushion at the 2:49 mark.
A Lauryn Bowie basket closed the margin for Nicholls, but after a lane violation against the Cardinals, Allen knocked down a pair of free throws to tie the score at 66-66 with 2:28 left, which opened the door to the nerve-racking conclusion.
“When it comes to these kids following the gameplan, they did it almost to a ‘T,’” said Nicholls head coach DoBee Plaisance.”
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