In a game that was eerily similar to Long Island's quarterfinal win over No. 7 Quinnipiac a day earlier, the Blackbirds (22-9) saw an early double-digit lead nearly evaporate only to hold on in the end. Central Connecticut State's Leanne Crockett hit a three-pointer to pull her team within three at 58-55. From there, the teams exchanged three consecutive fruitless possessions, with the latter two ending in shot clock violations.

 

Kerriane Dugan then missed a shot for the Blue Devils and Johnson rebounded the ball and was fouled. After the 6-foot junior hit a pair of free throws with 11 seconds left, sophomore Kiara Evans came up with a steal and was fouled. The 5-foot-8 guard hit one of two at the charity stripe to secure the win and lock up a trip to the title game.

 

Evans finished with eight points, six steals, six rebounds and five assists as the Blackbirds shot 39 percent for the game. Palmer closed with 16 points and 11 rebounds and Johnson added six boards to her four assists. Senior Connie James tallied her third double-double of the season with 10 points and a game-high 12 off the glass.

 

At halftime, the game appeared as if it would be easily at hand for the Blackbirds, who led by 13 on the strength of an elongated scoring burst. Trailing 17-15, Long Island went on another one of its patented late first-half runs, this time to the tune of 19-4 to close out the half. After James started it with a field goal and Palmer hit a free throw, Evans netted four straight points on a pair of foul shots and a fast-break layup courtesy of her own steal. After a stop on the defensive end, Johnson coolly drained a three-pointer for the Blackbirds' 10th straight point, pushing their lead to 25-17.

 

Central Connecticut State's Alexzandria Dowdy attempted to stop the bleeding with layup but her basket would prove to be an ineffective tourniquet as Long Island rattled off five consecutive points. Freshman Krystal Wells, who has been coming into her own in tournament play, splashed a three through the net and Palmer deftly deployed a spin move in the paint for a bucket to push the Blackbird advantage to 30-19. Palmer hit another bucket on the block before Kerrianne Dugan scored to get the Blue Devils on the board. Palmer capped the half-ending run when she rebounded a miss by junior Heidi Mothershead and muscled up a putback to send Long Island to the locker room leading 34-21.

 

In the second half, the Blue Devils used a 19-8 run of their own to get back within striking distance. Central Connecticut State made good use of the three-pointer, getting four during that stretch. The three-point barrage helped pull the Blue Devils within three at 49-46. The Blackbirds would increase their lead to seven but could never quite pull away from Central Connecticut State, setting up a tense final portion of play.

 

Crockett led four Blue Devils in double figures with 16 points and Dowdy closed with 15. Central Connecticut State shot 45 percent from the field.

 

James became the all-time Long Island leader in games played, appearing in her 121st career game. Long Island last appeared in the NEC championship game in 2007-08, falling at Robert Morris. The Blackbirds have appeared in the title contest two other times: during Long Island's NEC championship season of 2000-01 and the following year when they fell to Saint Francis (Pa.).

 

Long Island will host the Red Flash on Sunday, March 14. The championship game will tip off at 3:00 p.m. and can be seen nationally on ESPNU.