ST. PAUL, Minn. – University of Northwestern Women's Basketball hosted North Central University on Sunday afternoon in a battle for the UMAC Tournament Championship. UNW entered the game having already won the regular season conference title this year while NCU aimed to repeat as postseason champions after having won the tournament title last year.
The Eagles defeated the Rams 57-42 to clinch their first conference postseason title since 2014. With the win, UNW will go on to represent the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference in the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship for the first time in nine years.
In the opening quarter, the Eagles worked their way to a 12-6 lead. The Rams battled back with a 7-0 run to take a 13-12 lead going into the final minute of the first frame.
Megan McGeough (Greeley, Colo./Dayspring Christian Academy) put the Eagles back on top 14-13 with a layup in the final seconds of the quarter.
NCU retook the lead with the first basket of the second quarter, but
Jasmine Sondrol (Grand Forks, N.D./Red River) responded with a layup to give UNW a lead they would never again relinquish in the game with 7:51 to go before halftime. After the closely contested first quarter, Northwestern's offense put up 20 points in the second while holding North Central to just eight.
With just a handful of seconds remaining in the opening half,
Rylie Hirschey (Pine River, Minn./Pine River Backus) stole the ball off an inbound and found
Allison Terry (Blaine, Minn./Blaine) in the corner who hit a three-point buzzer beater to give UNW a 34-21 lead at the half.
The Eagles carried their momentum into the second half, outscoring the Rams 16-11 in the third quarter. Northwestern led by as many as 22 points in the frame, up 48-26 with a minute and a half on the clock. North Central cut their deficit down to 18 points before the end of the quarter, sending the championship game to the final quarter with UNW leading 50-32.
North Central outscored the Eagles 10-7 in the fourth quarter, but Northwestern's lead they built through the previous three quarters allowed them to soar to the 57-42 victory.
In the win, UNW outscored the Rams in bench points (31-to-9), points off of turnovers (17-to-5), second chance points (16-to-6), and fast beak points (8-to-2)
Megan McGeough (Greeley, Colo./Dayspring Christian Academy) was named UMAC Tournament MVP after recording an 18-point, 10-rebound double-double; one she earned by scoring the final basket if the game with 20 seconds left and then grabbing the defensive board off the ensuing NCU drive, allowing the fifth year to dribble out the clock to the final buzzer.
Up next, Northwestern will find out who they will play this upcoming weekend in the opening round of the NCAA Championship during the selection show on Monday afternoon at 2:00 pm
