March 24, 2024
Postseason WNIT | 3/24/2024 7:20:15 PM
NORTH CAROLINA A&T 48, OLD DOMINION 45
GREENSBORO, NC – With both teams struggling to make progress on offense, Maleia Bracone played the role of hero with a 3-pointer with less than a second to go to give North Carolina A&T a hard-fought win over Old Dominion in Round 2 of the Postseason WNIT.
The Aggies (22-11) will face Troy or Florida International in the Super 16.
Old Dominion used a 5-0 run at the start of the fourth quarter to take a 37-36 lead. A steal and layup from Bracone put the Aggies up 45-43 at the 3:22 mark, but Kaye Clark’s shot tied it up again at 45-all with 3:01 to go. That was it for scoring until Bracone’s game-winner; ODU was called for an offensive foul with 19 seconds to go, just ahead of the final drama.
Bracone had 17 points to go with seven steals; DMya Tucker added 10 points and eight rebounds.
The Monarchs (22-10) got 16 points and eight rebounds from Clark. Both teams had 22 turnovers; the Aggies had a 42-35 lead in rebounds.
ILLINOIS STATE 74, CHARLESTON 67
NORMAL, IL – Illinois State nearly gave up the lead to Charleston, but the Redbirds got five straight points from DeAnna Wilson late in the fourth quarter, and Maya Wong sealed it with four free throws as they stepped past the Cougars in Round 2 of the Postseason WNIT.
The Redbirds (22-11) will play Wisconsin or Southern Indiana in the Super 16.
Charleston tied the game at 60-all with 4:02 remaining on a 3-pointer by Taryn Barbot. Another 3-pointer by Jada Logan cut Illinois State’s lead to 67-66 at the 1:18 mark, then Wilson scored three points in seven seconds and the Cougars (22-10) were whistled for an offensive foul. Wong then hit a pair of free throws at :22 and :15 to close the deal.
Wilson finished with 17 points and eight rebounds. Caroline Waite scored 14 points, Shannon Dowell scored 13 points, and Wong came through with 11 points and eight assists. Daijah Smith had 10 points, and Kate Bullman closed with 11 rebounds. The Redbirds committed 21 turnovers but had a 19-7 lead in made free throws.
Jenna Annecchiarico scored 26 points for Charleston. Logan had 16 points and nine rebounds, Barbot had 10 points and Zoe McCrary added 11 rebounds. The Cougars shot 32 percent from the field.
PURDUE FORT WAYNE 84, CINCINNATI 58
CINCINNATI, OH – Purdue Fort Wayne forced 11 first-half turnovers and claimed an 18-point lead at the break Sunday, going on to top Cincinnati in Round 2 of the 2024 Postseason WNIT.
Purdue Fort Wayne (23-12), playing in the postseason for the first time since 2014, will host Saint Louis in the Super 16. That game is set for a 7 p.m. ET tipoff on Friday, March 29.
The Mastodons extended their lead early in the third quarter with an 13-0 run and wrapped up the contest with an 12-1 lead in made 3-pointers. Shayla Sellers had 22 points and seven rebounds for Purdue Fort Wayne; Destinee Marshall scored 13 points, Amellia Bromenschenkel added 12 points, Audra Emmerson finished with 11 points and Jazzlyn Linbo added 10 points.
The Bearcats (14-18) did finish with an 36-31 edge in rebounds but shot just 35 percent from the floor. Jillian Hayes had 17 points and nine rebounds for Cincinnati and Destiny Thomas scored 11 points.
WYOMING 80, UTSA 63
LARAMIE, WY – Wyoming jumped ahead with a 25-point lead by halftime and stayed ahead by double digits the rest of the way in topping USTA and advancing into Round 3 of the Postseason WNIT.
The Cowgirls (17-14) will face Northern Arizona or South Dakota in the Super 16.
Wyoming had just nine turnovers and closed with a 29-15 edge in bench scoring. Malene Pedersen scored 24 points, Allyson Fertig came through with 17 points and 10 rebounds, and McKinley Dickerson added 16 points.
The Roadrunners (18-15) got 28 points from Jordyn Jenkins, and Sidney Love scored 13 points to go with six rebounds.
SAINT LOUIS 68, NORTHERN IOWA 64
ST. LOUIS, MO – Saint Louis scored 23 points in the third quarter to take the lead Sunday, then kept Northern Iowa from rallying as the Billikens earned a spot in Round 3 of the Postseason WNIT.
Saint Louis (19-18) will play at Purdue Fort Wayne in the Super16; that game is set for tipoff at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, March 29.
The Billikens got 19 points and eight rebounds from Peyton Kennedy. Tierra Simon had 12 points and eight rebounds
The Panthers (16-16) got 15 points from Kayba Laube, who hit five 3-pointers. Taryn Warton scored 10 points.
UNI now leads all-time series 8-2.