SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - The Hanover Panthers, the only team in the 2004 Kiwanis-Wittenberg Holiday Classic with a winning record coming into the competition, improved to 7-3 overall with an 80-62 decision against Buffalo State in the opening game of the four-team women's tourney.

Hanover advanced to the championship game, which is slated for 6 p.m. on Thursday, opposite the host Wittenberg Tigers, a 67-46 victor over Centre College in the day's second game. Buffalo State, which dropped to 2-5 overall on the 2004-05 season, must regroup quickly against Centre in the consolation game at 1 p.m. Thursday.

The Panthers led by 12 points late in the first half before Buffalo State closed with a 13-2 run to go into the halftime locker room trailing just 37-36. But in the second half, Hanover exploded out of the gates with a 22-6 burst that essentially determined the game. The lead grew to as many as 20 points and the game wasn't close for most of the final 12 minutes.

Hanover put three players in double figures in this turnover-plagued game (28 for Hanover, 31 for Buffalo State). Tessa Blair finished with 20 points and five steals, Angela Newkirk added 18 points and six rebounds and Laura Little was solid with 16 points and 12 boards, a game-high.

Buffalo State picked up 20 points from Tawan Slaughter, but little else offensively. Darnika Moseley finished with seven points and 12 rebounds, including nine at the offensive end, to offer some support.