OWENSBORO, Ky. – The top two seeds are set for an epic showdown as the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Championship semifinals were wrapped up on Friday.
Top-seeded Ursuline exceeded its already-blistering season average scoring pace to beat No. 5 Trevecca Nazarene in the early game, 88-52.
No. 2 Cedarville returns to familiar territory as the defending G-MAC champion after representing the league as its first-ever NCAA Championship at-large qualifier in 2014-15. The Yellow Jackets ousted No. 3 Kentucky Wesleyan, 72-59, after shaking off a slow start.
Ursuline and Cedarville are now on a collision course once again after splitting the regular-season matchup. The championship game on Saturday will be tipping off at 4 p.m. EST from the Stano Athletic Center.
A live video stream with audio commentary and live stats for tomorrow’s championship game will be provided on G-MACSports.com.
#2 Cedarville 72
#3 Kentucky Wesleyan 59
Box Score
A double-digit lead for Kentucky Wesleyan in the first half eventually evaporated as Cedarville outscored the Panthers by 20 in the final two quarters.
KWC still maintained a two-point lead heading into the final period, but the Yellow Jackets turned the tables with their season on the line.
The G-MAC’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder Kayla Linkous added those totals with 22 points and seven rebounds.
Cedarville’s Breanne Watterworth posted a perfect 8-for-8 effort from the field that translated into 20 points. Even more impressive in her 30 minutes were the 11 rebounds and five blocked shots she piled up.
Senior guard Kaysie Brittenham added 18 for Cedarville, which outscored KWC 23-8 in the fourth quarter.
The Panthers shot nearly 45 percent in the first half, but those numbers went ice cold in the second half with a 3-for-23 (.130) chart.
KWC was led by Jennifer Walker-Crawford’s 14 points and eight rebounds. Asia Coates was the other Panther in double-figures with 12.
#1 Ursuline 88
#5 Trevecca Nazarene 52
Box Score
Natalie Koenig blew up for a career-high 29 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including five shots made from long range to help lead Ursuline in the semifinals.
Koenig, just a freshman, far surpassed her previous career-high scoring totals of 19 points set twice this year vs. Salem International and Davis & Elkins.
It was a pick-your-poison type of matchup as the Arrows had three in double-figures which didn’t include G-MAC Player of the Year Laney Lewis.
Lewis still found a way to impact the game beyond scoring with eight rebounds and seven assists in 22 minutes.
G-MAC Freshman of the Year Brigan Wymer tallied 16 points and Camryn Hill put up a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
The Arrows doubled up the Trojans and then some in the first quarter and dominated the third period out of halftime with a 24-9 edge on the scoreboard.
TNU’s Sarah Raby led the Trojans with 19 points and 13 rebounds. The Trojans finished the year with a 9-17 overall record.