It has been a whirlwind season for Brescia University Women’s Basketball, who despite recently falling in the River States Conference Tournament Finals, punched its ticket to the NAIA Women’s Basketball National Championship.
Last night against the defending conference champions, #8 Rio Grande, the Bear Cats came up short 83-64. Brooklyn Stewart and Caroline Lucas each opened the scoring for BU in the opening
quarter.
Each team missed its fair share of baskets as both defenses played pivotal roles. Back-to-back layups by Hailee Johnson earned a five-point lead for BU. Turnovers plagued the Bearcats in the second quarter as the Redstorm outscored BU 24-13.
Shelbie Beatty and Cassidy Morris were the only two Bearcats to score as they contributed 11 of the team’s 13 points. Rio had no trouble shooting from the floor as they shot 61 percent from the field in the frame before halftime. The Bearcats had their work cut out for them as they faced a 10-point deficit to open the third quarter.
Stewart, who had just two points in the first half, scored on the Bearcat’s first three possessions to cut the lead to seven. Despite the surge in effort in the third, Rio Grande maintained a double-digit lead over the Bearcats heading into the final quarter of the title game.
BU slowly ran out of steam down the stretch, shooting 41% from the floor. Rio Grande held their pace and took the conference title for the fifth consecutive year.
Hailee Johnson and Stewart were the only two Bearcats in double digit points with 17 and 13 points,
respectively. Johnson also added seven boards to her stat line. Up next, the Bearcats will eagerly wait for their placement in the NAIA Tournament during the selection show this Thursday at 7pm. Brescia looks forward to making the NAIA National Tournament with its first appearance in 18-years.
