Copiah-Lincoln held North Idaho without a field goal for the first seven minutes of the seventh-place game Saturday afternoon and then held off the Cardinals for a 73-61 win in the NJCAA Women's Championship.

Copiah-Lincoln, which had been ranked third in the national polls, finished the season 31-2 while the Cardinals ended 28-8.

"We don't play much zone, and we play a match-up when we do," Copiah-Lincoln coach Gwyn Young said. "I thought I might go to that early in the game because of their outside shooters.

Special to the Journal

DANVILLE, Ill. -- All Brown Mackie College sophomore Brian Word could think about during halftime of the Lions' fifth-place game of the NJCAA Division II National Tournament was his season coming to an end.

Eight points was all he managed through the first 20 minutes of Saturday's game, and finishing his career at Brown Mackie with a loss wasn't exactly what he had in mind. Trailing 32-30 to the Kishwaukee Community College Kougars, he made the decision to put the fate of the Lions in his hands.

Salina Journal

Turns out the best women's junior college player in the nation this season was also the best at the national tournament.

Gulf Coast, Fla., sophomore Andrea Smith was named the Most Valuable Player of the NJCAA Women's Championship on Saturday night shortly after helping her Commodores to a convincing 83-61 victory over Jefferson College (Mo.) in the tourney title game at the Bicentennial Center.

Salina Journal

Monroe, N.Y., coach Tim Parranello had an answer for the wear and tear five days of basketball can have on a team in the NJCAA Women's Championship: defense and depth.

Utilizing a deep and capable group of reserves and renewed effort from its zone defense, the Tribunes pulled away in the second half for a 65-56 victory over Trinity Valley, Texas in the fifth-place game Saturday afternoon at the Bicentennial Center.

Salina Journal

It was another complete effort in all facets of the game from a team that produced complete efforts all season.

Led by a potent, quick-strike offense, a swarming defense and dominating rebounding effort, Gulf Coast, Fla., rolled to a convincing 83-61 victory over Jefferson, Mo., in the championship game of the NJCAA Women's Championship on Saturday at the Bicentennial Center.