Dillard Lady Bleu Devils Win 2018 GCAC Tournament Title

Dillard Wins Its First Conference Title Since 2004

NEW ORLEANS -- Dillard was trailing Edward Waters by nine points at halftime of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's tournament championship game when Coach Norbert Rome came to point guard Adriiana Jackson.

"He looked at me, he said 'Take over the game; I'm trusting in you and believing in you,'" said Jackson, who was selected first-team all-conference on Thursday. "I led the team, gave them direction, they believed in me, and we just pulled it through together."

With Jackson scoring a game-high 17 points and playing stifling defense, the Bleu Devils defeated Edward Waters 63-59 to win the GCAC title Sunday at Xavier.

It was the first conference title since 2004 for Dillard (23-5), who last reached the championship game that season. The Bleu Devils received an automatic berth in the NAIA women's tournament in Billings, Montana, which beginsMarch 14.

Jackson pestered Edward Waters' point guards and prevented them from penetrating the lane. That resulted in shots from the outside. Her teammates, most notably tournament MVP Alyssa Washington, helped, as Dillard had 12 steals in forcing 19 turnovers.

The Bleu Devils outscored the Tigers (25-6) 25-14 in the third quarter in turning a 33-29 halftime deficit into a 49-47 lead at the end of the third.

"I allowed Adriian to call the (offensive) sets on the floor; I allowed her to call the defenses," said Rome, the conference's Coach of the Year. "(Edward Waters') strategy was to slow down the game. We started picking them up full court and applying pressure. Once (Jackson) started going, the shooters started feeding off her."

On Waters' first three possessions of the fourth quarter, Dillard got a defensive stop and two turnovers that resulted a basket then a free throw by forward Alexia McDonald.

Jackson then forced a 10-second backcourt call on Tigers point guard Brittany Thompson, then drove for a floater that gave the Devils a 54-47 lead. After another EWC turnover, McDonald scored a three-point play, pushing the lead to 10 at the 7:54 mark.

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Edward Waters was able to close to 61-59 with 18.2 seconds left. Jackson broke the press and was intentionally fouled with 14.5 remaining and drained both free throws.

"I think Dillard just got to more 50-50 balls than we did," Tigers coach Charmaine Wilson said. "And, the third quarter was the difference in the game."

McDonald and Washington each had four steals. Washington, who scored 22 points in Dillard's semfinals win against Talladega, was joined on the all-tournament team by Dillard power forward Asia Parlow, Edward Waters center Brittany Rowell and guard Laquanza Glover and Xavier point guard Maya Trench.



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