Box Score  
JACKSON, Tenn. – For the third straight season, the Nova Southeastern University women's basketball team has advanced to the NCAA South Region championship game, as they defeated Rollins in wire-to-wire fashion in the semifinal round Saturday night, 63-51.
 
The second-seeded Sharks (26-5), who ran their winning streak to a season-best 10 games, came out on fire and led No. 6 seed Rollins (22-7) 13-2 less than five minutes in. The Tars were able to string together the next eight before NSU's Jessica Valley (R-Jr., Lafayette, Ind.) quickly put in five straight of her own to make it 18-10 at exactly 12 minutes.
 
Later, the biggest lead of the first half became 13 points, and though Rollins nearly halved that at the break (NSU's lead was 32-25), neither team dented the scoreboard for the final 3:22 of the half.
 
After intermission, the Tars made it a two-point game for the first time since 4-2, at 38-36 (13:45). That spurred the Sharks on a 13-4 run, ending with 3-point goals by Danielle Robinson (Sr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and Valley (their fifth and third, respectively). With 7:46 left, it was back out to a 51-40 Shark lead.
 
Rollins had one more run left in them, immediately scoring the next six, dwindling the advantage to five (51-46, 5:04). Yet again the Sharks answered, tallying six straight of their own, including 4-of-4 free throws, and the edge would be nine or more the remainder of the contest.

"Our players were warriors today," said head coach LeAnn Freeland. "They were focused and played hard together. Rollins is a very good and experienced team, but our players were ready. Our team defense was very effective and intense for 40 minutes."
 
Robinson led all scorers with 21, making a season-best five 3-pointers. Valley had 16 points (5-of-7 overall and 3-of-4 from behind the arc) along with six rebounds; Monaye Merritt (R-Jr., Philadelphia) added 12 points and four assists; and though hounded defensively, Jasmine Wilkins (R-Sr., Miami) was just a basket shy of a double-double, scoring eight points and pulling down a game-high 14 rebounds (tying for the second most of her career after Friday's 18 in the tournament opener).

"Danielle had one of the best games of her career," said Freeland. "It is exciting to see our seniors leading and playing so well."
 
The Shark defense held Rollins to 35.7 percent shooting, forced them into 17 turnovers, and limited them to only one double-digit scorer, Tanaya Jones with 10. The Tars' leading scorer on the season coming in, Emmalee Schill, was saddled with a 4-of-14 shooting line for just nine points.
 
NSU advances to play the winner of top seed Union and No. 4 West Florida, matching up in Saturday's second semifinal. Tip off Monday in the title game will be at 8 p.m. EST.