On a night when she was honored for scoring 1,000 career points, Lisa Strack moved the AU women’s basketball team one step closer to an NCAA Tournament bid.
Strack poured in a game-high 19 points to lead the AU women’s basketball team past Lafayette College 59-54 in the Patriot League Quarterfinals March 1 at Bender Arena.
Her pair of free throws with four seconds left in the game sealed the Eagles’ (23-6, 14-0 PL) victory and pushed AU into the semifinals.
“Lisa is the ultimate leader,” said Alexis Dobbs, who recorded 17 points and three steals. “What she brings is consistency, and it’s great. She does whatever the team needs, and that’s exactly what a leader does.”
The win gives AU a program-best 15th straight win as well as 23 total wins, which matches the school record set by the 1997-98 team.
Dobbs played a key role in securing AU’s victory, knocking down a 3-pointer with 5:07 remaining that gave the Eagles a 52-50 lead they never relinquished.
She also drew a charge with 47 seconds left in the game when it was just a one-possession contest.
“The charge was a big stop, that was the biggest possession of the game,” AU Head Coach Matt Corkery said. “Defense is always big for us, and I thought we were good at creating some turnovers and pressuring them.”
AU forced 20 Lafayette (8-22, 2-12 PL) turnovers on the night. Emily Homan and Danielle Fiacco tallied 12 points each to lead a feisty Leopard team.
Fiacco, who recorded the game’s only double-double, proved to be tough to handle for the Eagles.
“It’s tough because she’s a big presence in the paint,” Corkery said. “She really is a player that’s a game-changer and difference maker. That size is not something we see every night, and it’s tough because she plays above everyone else and does a good job of it.”
In a game that saw nine ties and 11 lead changes, neither team was able to mount a significant edge. AU’s biggest lead was a 45-38 advantage with 11:15 remaining in the second half, while Lafayette’s lead was never more than four.
One reason the Eagles struggled to go on a run to put the game away was because of their poor rebounding. The Leopards outrebounded AU 37-27, including a 13-9 advantage in offensive rebounds.
“We didn’t offensively rebound the ball well at all,” Corkery said. “What we did isn’t good enough.”
The Eagles will host the Holy Cross Crusaders March 5 in the Patriot League Semifinals. AU defeated the Crusaders 61-58 Jan. 14 in Worcester, Mass., and 67-47 Feb. 11 at Bender.
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