Miami happy to be alive ahead of matchup vs. Quinnipiac (Mar 19, 2017)

By AP
Published

No. 12 seed Quinnipiac is simply pleased to be in the second round after achieving its first NCAA tournament win Saturday while fourth-seeded Miami is happy to be alive.

The teams meet in a second-round game Monday night in the Stockton Region at Coral Gables, Fla.

Jennifer Fay had 20 points as Quinnipiac (28-6) held on to upset fifth-seeded Marquette 68-65 after squandering a 19-point lead in the second half.

Quinnipiac, which has won 11 straight games, also got 11 points from Aryn McClure.

"When we won the MAAC championship close to two weeks ago, I told my young ladies to enjoy the moment," Quinnipiac coach Tricia Fabbri said. "But I also said don't be satisfied. We weren't finished, yet."

Keyona Hayes' last-second layup got the Hurricanes (24-8) into the second round with a 62-60 win over Florida Gulf Coast.

"We're still alive," Miami coach Katie Meier said. "And we're very excited."

A 3-pointer by Florida Gulf Coast with 8.6 seconds left tied the game at 60. Miami advanced the ball out of a timeout, and the ball went to Hayes who drove her way to the hoop and scored on a post-up.

"We just had the will to win," Miami's Jessica Thomas said, "and didn't want to take no for an answer."

Miami, which has been in the postseason eight straight seasons, enters its game against Quinnipiac on a hot note. The Hurricanes shot 70 percent in the fourth quarter after shooting only 36 percent in the first three quarters.

The Hurricanes held a 41-26 rebounding edge and a 12-2 edge in second-chance points.

While Miami has more size inside, the Hurricanes will have to handle Quinnipiac's quickness and ball movement.

The Eagles entered the game averaging 16 assists per game and finished with 20 against Marquette. Adily Martucci and Aryn McClure each had four assists to lead the team.

"This team deserves the recognition," Fabbri said. "I think we really flew unjustly under the radar going into the tournament. There was the sexy matchup with Marquette and Miami looming in the game Monday night.

"And the only way that was going to change ... was a win here today. And we took care of business, just like we have not only this year -- well, in a big way -- but what we've done over the course of the last five years, getting into the tournament the last three of the five years."