Lady Broncos use inside strength to advance to Championship Game

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Fayetteville State has its own version of "Shaq", and she led them to a CIAA Tournament women's semifinal win at Time Warner Cable Arena on Friday.

Shuanda Ashford, whose is nicknamed after former NBA great Shaquille O'Neal, poured in 23 points and snatched 10 rebounds in a 71-57 victory over Virginia Union. The Lady Broncos (24-4 overall), the Southern Division champs and top division seed, reached their seventh CIAA finals in school history and the second under Head Coach Eva Patterson-Heath. Her squad won it all in 2010. The

Lady Broncos are shooting for their fourth league crown.

The Lady Broncos reached the CIAA championship game, which is Saturday at 5 p.m., on their inside power and transition game. The Lady Panthers (13-14), the No. 2 seed in the Northern Division, could not stop Ashford, a wide-bodied 6-1 All-CIAA center, despite doubling down on her in a zone defense. Despite the defensive focus on her, Ashford still muscled her way to the basket for easy layups. She was 10 of 16 from the floor.

"In the paint, it's always a battle," Ashford said. "My teammates kept finding the will to get me the ball and I was trying to find the will to put the ball in the basket."

Meanwhile, her frontcourt teammate Tierra Coleman took advantage of attention on Ashford on the weak side of the basket to produce a double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds. Coleman, the Food Lion MVP of the game, was perfect offensively, making 7 of 7 field-goal attempts and 2 of 2 free-throw attempts. Together, the frontcourt duo combined for 39 points and 22 rebounds. Coleman carried the Lady Broncos when Ashford went out briefly after falling out of bounds under the basket in the second half.



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