#TCCBasketball: Eagles rally past Wabash Valley in Lubbock

LUBBOCK, Texas (March 21, 2018) – Tallahassee Community College rallied from a ten-point deficit in the third quarter to defeat Wabash Valley (Ill.) College in Wednesday's second round at the NJCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship.

The win moves Tallahassee (26-6) into Thursday's 8 p.m. eastern quarterfinal where it will face a familiar foe – Panhandle Conference rival Northwest Florida State College. Thursday will mark the fifth meeting of the season between the Eagles and Raiders, who have split the first four games.

Out of 43-all tie, Wabash scored 12 of the game's next 14 points and led 55-45 with 2:05 left in the third. Consecutive baskets, including a three-pointer from Juliunn Redmond, left Tallahassee facing a 55-50 deficit through three. 

Like Tuesday's opening round win over Western Nebraska Community College, the Eagles needed a big fourth quarter to advance past the sixth-seeded Warriors. Behind Japonica James' 10 points, Tallahassee outscored Wabash Valley, 25-14, in the final quarter. 

Wabash Valley scored the first basket of the fourth to go back up by seven (57-50) but a 10-2 run, capped by James' layup, gave Tallahassee a 60-59 lead with 6:13 left. 

Wabash Valley never led again but did force three ties, the last at 69-all with 43 seconds remaining. On the Eagles' ensuing possession, Dawn Gipson snagged an offensive rebound and found Stella Logbognon in the paint for the go-ahead basket with 20 seconds left. 

Following a timeout, the Warriors advanced the ball into the frontcourt with a chance to tie or take the lead. Neither option materialized, however, as Nakiah Black stole the inbounds pass and outran the defense for a layup with 14 seconds remaining. Tallahassee forced another turnover in the backcourt, the Warriors' 25^th of the game, to effectively seal the comeback. 

Black hit two free throws with .3 remaining and finished with 11 points. 

James had 19 points overall and narrowly missed a double-double with nine rebounds. 

Logbognon was also on the cusp of a double-double, recording nine points and 11 rebounds. 

Redmond led Tallahassee with 24 points.