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Monday, Mar. 27 7:30pm ET
Lions end Barmore's 18-year career at Tech

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Penn State and coach Rene Portland will finally take the trip they've always wanted to make. They're going to the Final Four.

And they earned it in convincing fashion.

Lisa Shepherd scored 20 of her 25 points in the first half to put Penn State in control and the Lady Lions beat top-seeded Louisiana Tech 86-65 Monday night in the Midwest Regional.


	Penn State's Lisa Shepherd, left, and Andrea Garner are a little fired up about the Lions' first trip to the Final Four.

Penn State (30-4) survived the pressure defense of Tech guards Tamicha Jackson and Betty Lennox, built a 16-point halftime lead and dominated the play inside.

"Their execution in the first half was just perfection," Portland said. "If we get four like that in a row, we'll be wearing a different hat."

The Lady Lions indeed were sensational in breaking Louisiana Tech's 21-game winning streak. They outrebounded the Lady Techsters 51-39, shot 54 percent (7-for-13) from 3-point range and frustrated Tech (31-3) with a zone defense.

Louisiana Tech never got its offense cranked back up after a first-half cold spell and failed to get outgoing coach Leon Barmore in the Final Four one last time.

Barmore, who has been part of 10 NCAA Final Four trips as a head coach or assistant, is resigning with a 520-77 record in 18 years at Tech. His winning percentage of .872 is the best of any major college basketball coach.

"Execution of your offense and defense will get you a victory if you do it well," Barmore said. "Penn State did that."

So now it's on to Philadelphia for second-seeded Penn State, which will play East Regional champion Connecticut in the national semifinals Friday night. Connecticut, which beat Penn State 87-74 in Orlando, Fla., on Dec. 5, advanced with an 86-71 victory over LSU.

It will be the first Final Four trip for Penn State or Portland, who grew up in suburban Philadelphia and is now in her 24th year as a coach.

"She deserves it," said center Andrea Garner, a Philadelphia native. "She's been in there, I don't know how long, longer than I am old. She writes on the board, `This is our time.' It's her time, too."

Darling and Garner each scored 15 points for Penn State, with Darling getting 12 assists and Garner grabbing 12 rebounds. Maren Walseth added 13 points and 10 rebounds and Chrissy Falcone scored 10.

Darling was named the regional's outstanding player, but it was Shepherd who got Penn State going by making 7-of-8 shots in the first half, including three 3-pointers. She had scored only two points in a 66-65 semifinal victory over Iowa State.

"I knew I was due for a good night," Shepherd said. "We just really focused on running our offense and running it all the way through. My teammates set good screens, I was running off them and I got open shots."

Jackson led Tech with 19 points and Lennox scored 14, but they were a combined 12-for-40 from the field.

"They went to that zone and it makes it tough on the guards because we have to shoot from farther out," Jackson said.

The game began at a frenetic pace and Louisiana Tech led 20-19 after Jackson's 3-pointer with 12:14 left. But the Lady Techsters managed only one basket over the next six minutes and Penn State, getting good shots with crisp passing, seized control with an 18-4 run.

Shepherd hit a jump shot to start it and finished it with three straight 3-pointers, putting Penn State ahead 37-24. Jackson's 3-pointer pulled Tech within 10, but the Lady Techsters, who shot only 31 percent, would get no closer.

"When Lisa hit three in a row, I knew we were going to win this game," Darling said. "So it was, keep shooting, Lisa."

Penn State outscored Tech 8-2, all on free throws, to finish the half with a 45-29 lead.

When Penn State opened the second half with a 12-3 burst that Shepherd and Falcone started with 3-pointers, the lead grew to 57-32 and the Lady Lions and their small but vocal coterie of fans could sense that victory was imminent.

Barmore sat stoically with his hands folded in front of him as Penn State continued to frustrate his team, becoming animated only to vent at an official. When it was finally over, he rose from his chair, hugged his seniors and then embraced Portland before walking off the floor for the last time.

"I'm really happy for you," Barmore told Portland.

Barmore said he had no immediate plans but did not rule out a return to coaching.

"The only thing I know is basketball," said Barmore, who left the interview room to a smattering of applause. "I'm not going to sell Bibles, I'll tell you that."

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