Hampton used three veterans, Melanie Warner, Quanneisha Perry and Jericka Jenkins along with a stifling second half defense to defeat Howard, 61-42 to win the 2011 MEAC Women’s Basketball Tournament title at the Joel Coliseum.
The Lady Pirates earned their second consecutive title, after the Hampton Pirates earned the 2011 men’s title earlier in the day.
“It is interesting that these two teams are 1-2 in the conference in scoring defense,” said Hampton head coach David Six. “In the first half, we were feeling each other out. But in the second half, we got things going. We knew that if we did not turn the ball over and rebound well, we would win the game. We have been consistent in those areas all season.”
Hampton (25-6) receives the conference’s automatic qualification to the NCAA Division I tournament and will await the pairings that will be announced on Monday.
In the first half, neither team was able to generate much offense. Both teams shot under 30-percent, but the Lady Pirates, who won their second straight tournament title, were able to maintain a 21-16 advantage at the half.
Perry, the 2010-11 MEAC Defensive Player of the Year and a All-MEAC first team selection, struggled early but came on down the stretch to give her team a push. She scored six points and grabbed six rebounds while Warner added four and reserve Keiara Avant tallied five in the first half.
“I think Hampton’s experience was definitely a factor, especially when you have players like Warner, Jenkins and Perry,” said Howard head coach Niki Reid-Geckeler. “But that was not the overriding factor. We just lost our legs. We played four games to get here. We are very young and I am excited about the future.”
The Lady Pirates forced the Lady Bison into bad shots and turnovers and made them pay at the other end of the court with free throws, where they converted on 16-of-20. Warner, Jenkins and Perry took turns as they finished with 13 each.
“We knew that we had to play defense in order to win the championship,” said Perry, who was named the tournament Most Outstanding Perfomer. “We knew that if we continued to play hard and play great defense we would be successful.”
Howard (16-18) began to press on offense and in the process, missed a number of shots. The team-leading scorer and MEAC Player of the Year, Saadia Doyle, had difficulty getting touches and which proved to be problem for the Lady Bison. Cheyenne Curley Payne was held scoreless.
Doyle finished with a game-high 16 points and seven rebounds. “It made it hard to penetrate and we did not knock down the shots that we had earlier in the tournament.”
Tamoria Holmes finished with 12 while Curley Payne pulled down a career-high 10 rebounds.
In addition to the contribution of the Big Three for Hampton, Avant aided the cause with nine points and 10 rebounds off the bench.
“Our performance in the NCAA tournament last year left a bad taste in our mouths,” said Six. “We wanted an opportunity to get back there and atone ourselves. We do not just want to be there; we want to win. I think we are good enough to win.”
Six was named the Tournament Outstanding Coach while Perry, Jenkins, Shawntae Payne (Coppin State), Doyle and Curley Payne were named to the All-Tournament team.