The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

IN Grand Bahama, women’s NCAA basketball held true to form as the top ranked teams coming into the tournament emerged as champions in their respective divisions of the 11th Annual Junkanoo Jam.

The third ranked Tennessee Volunteers claimed the Lucaya Division while 14th Penn State Nittany Lions claimed the Freeport division and their second Junkanoo Jam title in 10 years in the tournament finale this weekend.

The Volunteers, untested in their two-game outing, took the division title with a 40-point rout of the SMU Mustangs, 87-47.

It was the Volunteers first holiday tournament since they won the 2005 Paradise Jam in the US Virgin Islands. Ariel Massengale scored a game high 16 points, Bashaara Graves posted a double-double with 10 points and 10 assists, Isabelle Harrison scored 10 points and Jasmine added 13 off the bench. Keena Mays led the Mustangs with 12 points.

The Volunteers led 39-27 at the half and opened the second half on an 8-0 run to go ahead by 20 points.

Meighan Simmons was named the tournament MVP.

In their opening game of the tournament Thursday afternoon, the Volunteers topped Virginia, 76-67.

The Nittany Lions defeated the Illinois State Redbirds 72-60 in the division finale Saturday night.

The defending Big Ten champions were led by Maggie Lucas. She was named the championship MVP after she finished with a game high 25 points. Dara Taylor scored 12 points and finished with three assists and three steals while Alex Harris posted six points and 11 rebounds and Talia East chipped in with four points and 11 rebounds. Alexis Foley led the the Redbirds with 24 points while Octavia Crump added 13.

The Nittany Lions, who improved to 5-1, led wire to wire and opened the game on an 11-2 run. They eventually took a 10-point lead into the half, 44-34, but the Redbirds would make a run to come within a single possession.

Illinois State trimmed the deficit, 52-49, but the Lions would respond with a three pointer by Keke Sevillian and six consecutive successful trips to the line for Lucas.

It was another honour for Lucas who last season averaged 20.1 points per game, was named the Big Ten Player of the Year, All-Big Ten first team, Associated Press All-America Second team, and was one of 15 finalists for the Wooden Award.

In their opening game of the tournament, Penn State outlasted the Oregon State Beavers in a hard fought finish that came down to the game’s waning minutes.

Lucas’ three pointer with 2:13 left to play broke a 53-53 tie and put her team ahead for good en route to the 61-56 win.

Penn State ended the game on an 8-3 run. Lucas finished with 17 points while Taylor added 10 and Ariel Edwards chipped in with 10 points and eight rebounds. Jamie Weisner led the Beavers with 14 points and 10 rebounds while Samantha Siegner added 14 points and seven rebounds.

The Redbirds advanced with a 68-64 win over the Florida Gators in the semifinals. Chloe Nelson scored a tournament high 26 points, Foley added 21 and Brianna Puni finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Jaterra Bonds led the Gators with 24 points.

The BBF hosts the tournament in partnership with the Grand Bahama Port Authority, Grand Lucayan Resort and Ministry of Tourism.