No one needs to tell Eastern Connecticut about the benefits of shooting well from the free throw line.
Nicky Morey scored 21 points - including 11 in 13 attempts from the foul line - and the Warriors scored all 9 of their points in overtime from the charity stripe to defeat Southern Maine, 65-60, and win the Little East championship yesterday at Gorham, Maine.
Neither team made a field goal in the extra session, with Eastern Connecticut hitting 9 of 10 from the line and the Huskies (25-3) sinking 2 of 4 attempts. The Warriors (24-4) were 21 of 25 from the line in the game.
MASCAC final - Colleen Feeney scored 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as host and top-seeded Bridgewater State (22-4) captured its first conference tournament title with a 63-61 victory over second-seeded Salem State (21-6).
Great Northeast final - Iman Davis scored 18 points and hauled in nine rebounds to lead four players in double figures as top-seeded and host Emmanuel (22-6) defeated No. 2 Suffolk (19-8), 70-51.
Commonwealth Coast final - At Springfield, Terri Duffy hit 11 of 16 shots and scored 31 points, leading fourth-seeded Colby-Sawyer (19-7) to a 70-61 victory over second-seeded WNEC (18-10).
North Atlantic final - At Castleton, Vt., Kristin Karat had 21 points and fourth-seeded Becker (18-10) earned its first bid to the NCAA Division 3 tournament with a 60-41 victory over second-seeded Maine Maritime (19-9).
NESCAC semifinals - Host and top-seeded Amherst jumped to 14-0 lead and cruised to a 71-47 victory over fourth-seeded Bowdoin (18-8), ending the Polar Bears' seven-year run as conference champions. Shaina Pollack finished with 18 points for Amherst (24-2), which is ranked 14th in Division 3 . . . Colleen Hart scored 15 points as second-seeded and 15th-ranked Tufts (23-2) rolled past third-seeded Wesleyan (19-7), 67-50, at Amherst.
NEWMAC semifinals - At Norton, Rachelle Walker scored 12 points as third-seeded Springfield (16-10) held off No. 2 Coast Guard, 58-57. Corinne McCormack led the Bears (22-5) with 23 points . . . Bri Smith hit five 3-pointers and scored 17 points - all in the first half - to lead top-seeded Wheaton (21-6) to a 59-53 victory over fourth-seeded WPI (15-10).
Temple 64, UMass 46 - LaKeisha Eaddy's 17 points helped the Owls (19-11, 12-2 Atlantic 10) hold off the Minutewomen (13-16, 5-9) at Philadelphia. Pam Rosanio had 15 points and Kate Mills added 13 for the Minutewomen.
Saint Joseph's 72, Rhode Island 60 - At Philadelphia, Sarah Acker had 19 points and 10 rebounds as the Hawks (16-13, 8-6 A-10) had little trouble with the Rams (12-17, 5-9), who were led by Crystal Bellinger's 15 points.
Harvard 51, Cornell 48 - Lindsay Hallion scored 18 points and hit a pair of free throws in the final 30 seconds as the Crimson (17-9, 10-2 Ivy) held off the Big Red (17-8, 9-3) at Lavietes Pavilion to take a one-game lead in the league with two remaining.
Penn 56, Brown 45 - At Philadelphia, Carrie Biemer's 16 points helped the Quakers (5-21, 2-9 Ivy) stop the Bears (2-24, 1-11).
Dartmouth 59, Columbia 41 - At Hanover, N.H., Kristen Craft scored 14 points as the Big Green (12-14, 9-3 Ivy) tamed the Lions (9-17, 6-6).
Princeton 64, Yale 59 - At Princeton, N.J., Krystal Hill's 15 points helped the Tigers (7-20, 4-7 Ivy) fend off the Bulldogs (8-17, 6-6).
BU 70, Stony Brook 58 - Cheri Raffo scored 25 points and Christine Kinneary added 17 as the visiting Terriers (16-11, 9-5 America East) fended off the Seahawks (6-21, 1-13).
Vermont 71, UMBC 62 - At Baltimore, Courtnay Pilypaitis scored 29 points to help the Catamounts (21-7, 12-3 America East) beat the Retrievers (9-18, 5-9) for their seventh straight win.
Hartford 67, Maine 45 - At West Hartford, Danielle Hood led a balanced offense with 17 points, helping the Hawks (22-5, 12-2 America East) rout the Black Bears (7-21, 4-11).
Binghamton 59, UNH 47 - At Durham, N.H., Erica Carter had 12 points as the Bearcats (11-16, 9-5) beat the Wildcats (6-20, 3-11).
Holy Cross 62, Lehigh 55 - At Worcester, Bethany O'Dell hit four 3-pointers on her way to 21 points, and the Crusaders (17-12, 10-4 Patriot) used 59 percent shooting in the first half to top the Mountain Hawks (17-12, 9-5).
Sacred Heart 79, Central Conn. 57 - Stephanie Hart scored 19 points and the Lady Pioneers (19-9, 14-3 Northeast) raced to 21-point halftime lead to rout the Blue Devils (4-24, 3-14).
Quinnipiac 65, Wagner 47 - At Staten Island, N.Y., Nicole Duperron had 17 points and 12 rebounds to guide the Bobcats (23-4, 15-2 Northeast) past the Seahawks (7-21, 5-12).
Georgetown 59, Providence 52 - At Washington, Kieraah Marlow's 15 points helped the Hoyas (15-13, 5-10 Big East) hold off the Friars (12-16, 2-13).
UConn 77, DePaul 76 - At Chicago, Ketia Swanier hit the go-ahead layup with 1.6 seconds left and the No. 1 Huskies (28-1, 14-1) rallied from a 17-point second-half deficit to defeat the Blue Demons (18-10, 7-8).
Rutgers 64, Syracuse 49 - Essence Carson and Matee Ajavon each scored 14 points in their final home game, and the No. 4 Scarlet Knights (24-4, 14-1 Big East) hit a season-high 10 3-pointers to defeat the Orange (21-7, 9-6).
Texas A&M 72, Baylor 53 - At College Station, Texas, Morenike Atunrase had 24 points and the No. 20 Aggies (22-7, 10-5 Big 12) upset the No. 8 Bears (24-4, 12-3).
West Virginia 78, Louisville 70 - Meg Bulger and Olayinka Sanni each scored 20 points and the No. 13 Mountaineers (23-5, 12-3 Big East) topped the visiting Cardinals (20-8, 9-6).
