Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, March 20, 1995 TAG: 9503220005
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: From Associated Press reports
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
``I just had to sit down,'' Alabama coach Rick Moody said Sunday. ``Every ounce of energy in me was gone.''
In the longest, highest-scoring game in the history of the women's NCAA Tournament, Alabama (22-8) defeated Duke 121-120 on Saturday night in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Moody didn't have much time to savor the victory. He had to teach a Sunday school class at First Baptist Church in Tuscaloosa at 8:30 a.m.
Fans who attended the game at Alabama's Coleman Coliseum still were talking about it before and after the morning services.
``I said that I had never been involved in a game like that before as a player or as a coach,'' Moody said. ``One of the older fellows with more perspective than I have said that's because there's never been a game like that before.''
It was a draining, pulsating game in which tournament records fell for points, overtimes and points in overtime. It was a game in which Jennifer Scanlon of Duke played all 60 minutes and in which Alabama attempted 52 3-point shots.
It also was a game that sent the Crimson Tide into Thursday's East Regional semifinal at top-ranked Connecticut. The Huskies (31-0) have won 35 in a row at home and demolished their first two tournament opponents by an average of 38 points.
Moody, not worried about a letdown against UConn, said he wants his players to remember the Duke game.
``A lot of people say you have to forget it and go on to next one,'' he said. ``I don't think you forget any game.
``The only negative I could think of was the fact that it was not on national television for every person in America to see it. It would have done the game of women's basketball well.''
Niesa Johnson sent the game into the first overtime with a 23-foot 3-pointer in the final seconds of regulation. Johnson, an All-American who finished with 28 points, 14 assists and 12 rebounds, also scored the winning point in the fourth overtime as Alabama built a seven-point lead and held on.
Yolanda Watkins led the Tide with 33 points.
Duke (22-9) almost won in regulation. Trailing 78-76, the Blue Devils took the lead on Alison Day's 3-pointer. Johnson then missed a 3-pointer for Alabama, and a jumper by Tyish Hall gave Duke a 81-78 lead.
Johnson, guarded closely by Kira Orr, then drilled the 3-pointer that set off the overtime marathon.
``I kept thinking we had it wrapped up, and they kept coming back,'' said Orr, who scored a career-high 30 points.
by CNB