NAIA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT:

JACKSON, Tenn. — For the first time in four seasons, Vanguard University women’s basketball coach Russ Davis introduced a considerably different lineup to the perennial fans who frequent the NAIA Division I Tournament at Oman Arena.

And, after a 75-62 first-round victory over University of the Cumberlands that wasn’t as close as the final score might indicate, it’s relatively safe to assume the locals might be thinking: New Vanguard, same as the old Vanguard.

The Lions (25-5), ranked No. 4 in the final Division I poll, did more than play effectively against No. 24-ranked Cumberlands of Kentucky (23-9). Vanguard, in fact, even took a bit of an opportunity to show off.

Senior Melissa Cook led the way with 23 points, nine rebounds and six steals, while senior All-American Jessica Richter overcame extra defensive pressure to contribute 14 points, eight rebounds and two steals.

Freshman point guard Sarah Boyd had 12 points and three assists, basically outplaying her counterpart, Cumberlands senior Lissi Fuller, the Mid-South Conference Player of the Year.

Junior center Lauren Gregory had 13 points and four rebounds while managing not to foul after picking up her third personal barely more than two minutes after halftime.

Freshman off guard Paige Halberg filled her unassuming role well, rolling up five assists, three steals and two points, while senior Lindsay Rinke and freshman Molly Pfohl led the bench brigade.

Rinke made three of her four field-goal attempts, including her only three-pointer, on her way to seven points in 21 minutes, while Pfohl chipped in six rebounds, four points, one steal and one assist in 17 strong minutes. Pfohl’s physical play inside was also much needed against a Cumberlands squad that Davis said was among the most physical his team played this season.

“I was real happy with our effort,” Davis said. “I thought we took away what they wanted to do and we put them in positions, defensively, where they had to foul us. That’s a good team, and we did a good job.”

Vanguard converted 20 of 28 free throws, including 11 of 15 by Cook. Cumberlands’ only two free throws, both misses, came with 7:35 left in the game.

Davis said having 10 days to prepare since last playing a game, helped his girls refocus and ready themselves for what they might see this week.

The week continues with a second-round matchup against defending national champion Lambuth of Tennessee, today at 2:30 p.m. The Eagles (24-9), ranked No. 11 in the final poll, rolled to a 73-56 first-round win over Xavier of Louisiana Thursday.

Vanguard defeated Jackson-based Lambuth, 80-74, in the Rotary Classic on Nov. 15 in Jackson.

Thursday, however, defeat was all but eradicated as an option as the Lions jumped to a 12-0 lead that eventually expanded to 17-4.

Cumberlands made a series of runs, cutting the deficit to 30-25, at one point. But Vanguard, which won its sixth straight first-round game in the national tournament, had an answer each time.

“We spread the floor a little bit more,” Davis said of his offensive strategy, which forced the Patriots to chase his players, who basically circled the perimeter waiting for an open driving lane.

“They were shadowing [Richter] with maybe not a box-and-one, but they weren’t helping off of her. So that gave us some driving lanes. And I thought everybody did a good job of attacking. We’re really hard to guard because we have five people who can bounce it to get to the rim.”

Davis was equally pleased with his defensive effort, which produced 26 turnovers and against which Cumberland missed its first seven field-goal tries and shot just 27.6% from three-point range (eight of 29). Two Patriots’ starters went scoreless.

“I thought we were real aggressive, on defense,” Davis said. “We were able to get a lot of deflections in the passing lanes.

“I think the week of practice really helped us,” Davis said. “It allowed us to work on some things and get better and our girls are smart. Everything we worked on in practice, we did today and I was real proud of them.”

Cook in her first NAIA Tournament as a starter, having missed the 2007 and 2005 events due to two separate knee injuries, was also pleased with her team’s performance.

“It was huge for us to get off early,” Cook said. “Everyone was excited/nervous. We’ve been here since Saturday, so we were just ready to play. I know all the freshmen and the new girls just really want to play hard and it showed.”

The Lions led, 36-25, at halftime and used a 12-0 run to build a 50-29 edge with 14:09 left.

Vanguard eventually upped the lead to 69-45 with 4:26 remaining, before the Patriots used three three-pointers to close the game on a 17-6 surge.

NAIA Division I Tournament

First round

Vanguard 75, Cumberlands 62

UC – Taylor 12, Nease 22, Fuller 8, Flowers 0, Martin 0, Thompson 10, Quattrociocchi 5, Ware 5.

3-pt. goals – Neace 2, Fuller 2, Thompson 2, Quattrociocchi 1, Ware 1.

Fouled out – Flowers.

VU – Cook 23, Gregory 13, Richter 14, Boyd 12, Halberg 2, Rinke 7, Pfohl 4.

3-pt. goals – Gregory 1, Rinke 1, Boyd 1.

Fouled out – None.

Halftime – VU, 36-25.

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at [email protected].