Ebony Richardson led the second-seeded Lady Tornadoes (22-7) with 19 points. Shakila Cole had 13 points and three 3-pointers. Bianca Thomas turned in a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, while Megan Iloff pulled down 10 rebounds.
As a team Talladega shot 43 percent from long range.
The Lady Tornadoes got off to a 21-1 start and led 37-17 at the half.
“We were just on fire in the first half,” said head coach Romeo Lagmay. “They couldn’t stop us. They made a nice little run in the second half and came within nine, but then we pulled away.”
Lagmay, who was unimpressed with his team’s 11-point win over Philander Smith in Round 1, said the players adjusted well in the second round.
“We got to the mentality that we could never be satisfied,” he said. “We had to treat this game like a championship. Everything was clicking. Everyone did their part.”
No. 1 seed Xavier, ranked 20th in the NAIA, defeated Tougaloo 78-67 points Friday to earn its sixth trip in seven years to the championship game.
Keldra Hall led the way for the Gold Nuggets with 14 points.
Lagmay was able to watch Xavier’s game before his team took the court Friday.
“It was a real close game until the end,” he said. “[Xavier] is powerful inside, they have good 3-point shooting. They put a lot of pressure on the ball. We have two intense teams going in.”
Talladega and Xavier (24-8) split their regular season games this season. TC defeated the Gold Nuggets 68-62 at home Feb. 11, but fell on the road 66-48 Jan. 21.
“It’s time to go toe-to-toe,” Lagmay said. “It’s going to be a game of runs. Who can hold their composure? When the ball goes up it’s just a matter of who can take it to the end. We’re both going to take some shots to the chin, but we won’t have a glass jaw. We’re just going to have a good time.
“It’s the championship and we belong there. If we play our type of ball we should be victorious.”
Today’s GCAC Tournament championship will begin at 11 a.m. today in Jacksonville, Fla.
