FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Greyhounds Won First-Ever East Region Title in 2023.
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The Assumption women's basketball team's historic season came to a close Monday afternoon as the Greyhounds fell to the University of Minnesota Duluth 61-41 in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight at the St. Joseph Civic Center.
THE BASICS
Score: Minnesota Duluth 61, Assumption University 41
Records: Greyhounds (27-6, 16-4 NE10), Bulldogs (31-3, 21-1 NSIC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
After Ja'Lyn Armstrong started the scoring for both sides, she knocked down a pair of free throws; the 2022-23 Division II WBCA National Player of the Year, Brooke Olson, recorded five quick points to give UMD a 5-2 advantage. The Greyhounds tied the game at 5-5 after a Marina Callahan free throw and a Monica Spain layup. Duluth went on an 11-0 run to go up 16-5 with 2:20 showing on the first quarter clock. Callahan halted the run with a layup at the 2:06 marker to make it 16-7 Minnesota after 10 minutes of action.
The Bulldogs continued the momentum they established in the first into the second, as their lead would grow to as large as 16 (23-9) with 3:22 left in the first half. Assumption would close the gap to 13 at the break, as they got two layups from Callahan and a free throw from Teagan Curran.
The two teams began the second half by trading baskets, with Assumption cutting the deficit to 12 points (32-20) by the media timeout at the 4:59 marker. The Greyhounds continued control action on the defensive end, holding Duluth to 29.4 percent from the field. The Blue and White cut the deficit to ten (36-26) following Armstrong's fast-break layup, but the Bulldogs would close the quarter on a 4-0 run.
In the fourth quarter, Minnesota Duluth started fast, as they pushed their advantage to 24 points (54-30), but the Greyhounds were unable to make a comeback. They would close the gap to 18 points (57-39), but the Bulldogs' lead was too great to overcome.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Spain led the Greyhounds in scoring with 13 points while pulling down four rebounds and adding two assists.
- Callahan had a near double-double with seven points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Callahan added three assists, four blocks, and two steals.
- The Greyhounds defense held Minnesota Duluth to 35.3 percent shooting from the field, which is the second lowest this season for the Bulldogs.
Game ✌️ flicks ��#WEliteEight | #D2WBB pic.twitter.com/dEoVZFn7dy
— NCAA Division II (@NCAADII) March 20, 2023
- Recap provided by Assumption athletic communications -
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 13 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
