CNN/SI Home Men's Home Women's Home Other College Hoops News SI for Women Scoreboard Daily Schedule Main Bracket Team Pages Regional Pages EAST   • Bracket  • Chart MIDEAST   • Bracket  • Chart MIDWEST   • Bracket  • Chart WEST   • Bracket  • Chart

Stay extended

Boston College gets win in first NCAA appearance

Click here for more on this story

Posted: Saturday March 13, 1999 10:00 PM

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Coach Cathy Inglese told her Boston College Eagles not to be happy with just reaching the NCAA tournament. Consider the message received loud and clear.

Reserve Becky Gottstein scored a career-high 23 points Saturday night in helping Boston College extend its first NCAA tournament appearance with a 72-59 victory over Ohio State.

"I'm extremely overjoyed with the win," said Inglese, who had taken Vermont to two NCAA tournament appearances before being hired by Boston College.

The Eagles (22-7) will meet either No. 1 seed Tennessee or 16th-seeded Applachian State on Monday night in the second round of the East Regional. They started preparing themselves for Tennessee even before the Lady Vols tipped off their first-round game.

"They have the type of status we want," said guard Brianne Stepherson. "We will come out and play hard and hopefully learn from it."

Boston College improved on the best season in school history by staying patient against Ohio State (17-11) and a defense that had been the Big Ten's stingiest, holding opponents to 40 percent shooting from the floor.

The Eagles responded with one of their best games all season, hitting 54 percent.

Gottstein, who normally starts but came off the bench due to a sprained ankle suffered in the Big East tournament, led the way. She was 6-of-7 in the first half for 13 points, and finished 10-of-14 and grabbed 12 rebounds.

Alissa Murphy added 22 points for Boston College and Brianne Stepherson had 11.

Ohio State tied the game for the last time at 39-39 on a free throw by Marrita Porter. Then Gottstein helped the Eagles take control by scoring the first four points of a 10-0 run that left them ahead 49-39 with 12:18 left.

Boston College, which beat Ohio State for the first time in six tries, stretched the lead to as much as 17 down the stretch.

Ohio State led 34-31 at halftime after an ugly first half in which the teams showed how rusty they were after a two-week layoff. They combined for 32 turnovers but had just 12 in the second half.

Michaela Moua led Ohio State, which hadn't played in the tournament since 1996, with 16 points. Porter and Jamie Lewis each added 14.

 

Related information
Stories
Kansas rallies to defeat Marquette 64-58 Iowa State draws biggest crowd Friday with 12,337
Stats
Boston College-Ohio State Game Summary
Multimedia
Click here for the latest audio and video
Search our site	Watch CNN/SI 24 hours a day
	Sports Illustrated and CNN have combined to form a 24 hour sports news and information channel. To receive CNN/SI at your home call 1-888-53-CNNSI.