ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — The Ashland University women's basketball team has had a remarkable season and after a 76-67 win over Glenville State Wednesday night, the Eagles are headed to the NCAA DII National Championship.
The Eagles had beaten UT Tyler on Monday in the Elite Eight, advancing to the Final Four where they took on Glenville State.
Led by Savaya Brockington and Annie Roshak, the Eagles took control of the game early and held on despite a late-game effort by the Pioneers.
Brockington was dominant on both sides of the floor, notching 16 points, six assists, five rebounds, and three steals. Roshak's double-double saw her with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
"Savaya, she's just a playmaker. She is a one-woman press break," said head coach Kari Pickens after the win. "Our guards on the back side were mobile, and when we were able to get in the half-court offense, we did a great job of getting high-percentage shots."
Also adding to the win with big performances were Hayley Smith and Hallie Heidemann. Smith put up 15 points and a career-high 16 boards. Heidemann, like Brockington, was a force on both sides of the floor, scoring 13 points, eight assists, eight rebounds, and three steals.
Wednesday night's win sends the No. 1 Eagles to the 2023 National Championship game where they'll face No. 2 Minnesota Duluth on Saturday, April 1 in Dallas, Texas.
"I'm thankful we have a week," Pickens said. "Minnesota Duluth is a great team. It's going to be a battle for us. But we have a really, really good team. A really deep team, so I'm excited for the challenge."
The Eagles have a mission statement: "We're on relentless pursuit to be the best Division II women's basketball team in the country and make a positive impact on all who cross our path."
The Eagles have succeeded in the latter part of their goal—just one game separates them from the former. Beating Minnesota Duluth can make it true.
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