SOUTHAVEN, Miss. – For the first time ever, the University of Arkansas at Monticello women’s basketball team is headed to the Gulf South Conference Tournament Championship game after defeating West Georgia in the semi-finals by a final score of 67-65 in overtime.

The win also marks the first 20-win season for UAM since the Alvy Early era, when the team went 23-6 in the 1997-98 season.

The Blossoms (20-7) took advantage of West Georgia’s poor shooting in the early part of the first half, extending their lead to as much as 10 points, before turnovers allowed the Wolves (22-7) back into the contest.

UWG scored 17 of its 25 points in the first half, resulting in a two-point lead at halftime, followed by a lead of as much as five points in the first 10 minutes of the second half. The Wolves grew their lead to as large as six points with 32 seconds left in regulation.

With three seconds left on the clock in the second half, senior Andrea Dubose received a pass from senior Addie Lees for the game-tying three-pointer, only Dubose’s second three of the contest. That shot sent the Blossoms into their seventh overtime game of the season.

“I was starting to get pessimistic when were down five points with 15 seconds left,” said head coach Chris Ratcliff. “That shot was originally indented for (Lees), but that pass mirrored how we won of all our games this year, with teamwork. 

“I fell down after I took that shot,” said Dubose on the game-tying three-pointer. “I was just praying that it would go through as I was rolling on the court.”

In the overtime period, UAM outscored UWG 10-8, highlighted by a three-pointer by Lees with just less than two minutes remaining to give her team a three-point lead. UWG’s Tia Jackson later tied the game for the 11^th time with a three-pointer with 36 seconds remaining.

Junior Monica Perkins-Miller sunk a lay-up, followed by a foul shot from junior Nicole Lowe with six seconds left to give UAM back its three-point lead. UWG’s Dominic Cranford was fouled with less than a second, followed by one free-throw. Cranford intentionally missed her second shot, but crossed the foul line before the ball hit the rim, resulting in a lane violation, giving UAM the win.

“There were two great teams on the court tonight,” said Ratcliff. “I’ve got great players with great heart and a lot of talent.”

The Blossoms play in the GSC Championship for the first time ever tomorrow (Sunday, March 8) at 12:00 p.m. at the Desoto Civic Center. UAM is pitted against long-time rival Delta State, which is the No. 1 seed from the GSC-West and the NCAA South Region. UAM and DSU have met twice this season, both resulting in UAM losses.

The championship game will air in the southeast region of the United States on Comcast Sports Southeast, partnered with Cox Sports Television. In Monticello, the game can be seen on Cox Sports Channel 31.