WEST HARTFORD, Conn.-- Junior guard Lisa Etienne lifted the University of Hartford women's basketball team to its third America East Women's Basketball Championship title in four years with a career-high 19 points against Boston University at Chase Family Arena on Sunday. With the 61-45 victory over the Terriers, the Hawks receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
The Hawks (27-5) will found out where they will travel for the postseason and who they will play when the NCAA Tournament Selection Show airs live on ESPN Monday, March 17 from 7-8 p.m.
The win tied Hartford's program record for wins in a season which the 2006 team accomplished. The same team that set that record also became just the second America East team to earn a victory in the NCAA Tournament, defeating sixth-seeded Temple as an 11 seed.
Etienne, the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, shot 7-for-13 from the field, 4-for-5 from the foul line, and brought down eight rebounds. Hood, named to the All-Tournament Team with Etienne, scored 14 points to go along with six rebounds.
Beverly, the third Hawk named to the All-Tournament Team, recorded a game-high eight rebounds. The Hartford forward also finished the tournament averaging nearly 10 points and eight rebounds per game.
Hartford outrebounded the Terriers, 44-32, for the game and shot 42.9% as a team.
The Terriers (20-12) couldn't get their shots to sink, setting a new low for field goal percentage (.263) in an America East Championship tournament game. Their 15 field goals tied the low in a Championship game, and undercut the previous low of 18 in a title match. Boston U.'s 45 points scored matched the fewest points scored in a final in tournament history.
From Boston U., senior Cheri Raffo and junior Jesyka Burks-Wiley were members of the All-Tournament team. Burks-Wiley led the Terriers offensively in the title game with 12 points, including two three-pointers.
2008 America East Women's Basketball Championship Presented by Friendship Cottage Cheese
All-Tournament Team
Danielle Hood, Hartford
Lisa Etienne, Hartford
Erica Beverly, Hartford
Cheri Raffo, Boston University
Jesyka Burks-Wiley, Boston University
Most Outstanding Player
Lisa Etienne, Hartford
First Round - Thursday, March 13, 2008
No. 9 Stony Brook 64, No. 8 Maine 58 (AE PackCast)
Quarterfinals - Friday, March 14, 2008
No. 2 Vermont 70, No. 7 New Hampshire 45, 12 p.m. (AE PackCast)
No. 3 Boston U. 88, No. 6 UMBC 59, 2 p.m. (AE PackCast)
No. 1 Hartford 72, No. 9 Stony Brook 41 (AE PackCast)
No. 4 Albany 64, No. 5 Binghamton 57 (AE PackCast)
Semifinals - Saturday, March 15, 2008
Hartford 60, Albany 40 (NESN)
Boston U. 76, Vermont 74, 2OT (NESN)
Final - Sunday, March 16, 2008
Hartford 61, Boston U. 45 (CSN)