AUSTIN, Texas -- Maybe if the situation was a little different, it could have been called an upset. But after defeating the second-and third-seeded teams in the Midwest, No. 6 Alabama continued to play giant-killer by ousting the No. 1 Lady Lions from the NCAA women's basketball tournament in the regional finals Saturday, 96-82.

"What caught us going down the stretch was our lack of shooting," Coach Rene Portland said. "We've never in our lifetime given up 96 points in Penn State history. I'd be suprised if that ever happened before."

It was Alabama's senior guard and three-point specialist Betsy Harris, named the tournament's most outstanding player, who led everyone with 25 points, including four treys.

The Lady Lions (28-3) spent the entire game literally chasing what co-captain Helen Holloway called the fastest team they had seen all season. Penn State never led but came close, tying Alabama (26-6) twice in the last 14 minutes.

"When they tied it up, a couple people got a litle nervous," Alabama junior guard Niesa Johnson said. "But once you have led throughout the game, confidence has been built up."

Junior guard Katina Mack hit a trey to put the Lady Lions within three points with three minutes left. They wouldn't get any closer.

"We came out in the second half and outscored them very quickly," Portland said. "But every time we caught up, we gave something away."

The backbreaker came on a controversial call with 38 seconds left. Sophomore guard Tina Nicholson picked up an offensive foul for charging junior guard Madonna Thompson. Portland was given a technical foul after questioning the call.

"I truly felt there was movement along with Tina," Portland said. "I felt the woman official had a better angle to call the call, and she opted not to, and I questioned why she did not."

After the game, Thompson paused before saying she did not move.

"I don't know if they can call that the determining factor of the game," Alabama Coach Rick Moody. "I thought the contact was made by the offense."

Both coaches said the game was much closer than the final score revealed. Eleven of Alabama's final 13 points came at the line as the Lady Lions scrambled for fouls in a last-ditch effort. Nicholson and co-captain Jackie Donovan went on to foul out.

The loss overshadowed a night when the seniors shined.

Holloway became only the 15th Lady Lion in history to surpass 1,000 career points, scoring 23 to finish with 1,022. She lead all players with 10 rebounds and was named to the all-tournament team.

"It's nice to have your team depend on you and ride your back," Holloway said. "I wish I could have rode us a little harder -- maybe we would have won the game tonight. But I wasn't able to do so."

Donovan played her best game in recent history, overcoming a slump with 14 points.

The Lady Lions were down 50-41 at the half. With seven minutes left in the first, Holloway put the Lady Lions within two. But Alabama went on an 8-0 run to lead 40-30.

While the Lady Lions shot 92.3 percent from the line (12 of 13) in the first half, they couldn't contain Harris and Yolanda Watkins, a sophomore center who sunk five from the field.

Lady Lions sophomore center Kim Calhoun recorded a well-spent 14 minutes, denying three shots. But the Lady Lions shot only 28.6 percent from the field in the first half (12 of 42), the same percentage from their first half against Seton Hall on Thursday.

Mack and Watkins each had 14 points for the game, tying Donovan for third in the scorer's standings.