Top Four Seeds Advance In Women's Basketball Tourney
CHICAGO --- Each of the top four seeds opened the 2025 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Tournament with victories on Wednesday night, but not without some drama as one of the favorites had to fend off a late rally and another required overtime to advance.
Top-seeded Governors State University and No. 3 University of St. Francis gained convincing wins of 20-plus points, while No. 2-seeded Indiana University Northwest required an extra five minutes before sending No. 5 Saint Xavier University to a 77-72 defeat. In the other matchup, No. 2 Olivet Nazarene University staved off a 38-point fourth quarter rally by No. 7 Holy Cross College to win 92-90.
That sets up Friday night's semifinal matchups with Governors State (24-5) hosting Indiana Northwest (23-6) and St. Francis (23-6) heading to Bourbonnais to face Olivet Nazarene (20-9). In their only meeting of the year, which came just last week, GSU took down Indiana Northwest 96-70. Olivet Nazarene and St. Francis, meanwhile, split their two regular-season contests.
Recapping Wednesday:
Governors State 73, Viterbo 53
Governors State took a 44-16 lead into the halftime break and never looked back. The Jaguars put four starters in double figures, led by Tabetha Jones (14 points/4 assists) and Cencere McDaniel (12 points/6 rebounds/4 steals). They also held Viterbo to just 34.5 percent shooting from the field (19-of-55) and 18.8 percent from long distance (3-of-16).
Olivet Nazarene 92, Holy Cross 90
Host Olivet Nazarene held a comfortable 52-30 advantage at the break and still led by 19 points after three quarters before Holy Cross erupted for 38 points in the fourth quarter to make it a one-possession game in the final minute. The Saints hit 19 of their 20 free-throw attempts in the final frame, while also going 9-of-16 from the field (56.3 pct.). Olivia Dirkse and Khendel Rolison led Olivet Nazarene with 15 points each, with Rolison also contributing five steals. Holy Cross received a game-high 32 points from Allie Caldwell and 21 points and 17 rebounds from Grace Adams. The two teams each attempted 38 free throws.
St. Francis 92, Indiana South Bend 66
Indiana South Bend took an 18-17 lead into the second quarter before St. Francis outscored the guests 75-48 the rest of the way. The Saints shot .531 from the field (34-of-64) with half of those makes and attempts coming from three-point range (17-of-32). Tykara Harrison had a big game for St. Francis with her 25 points and ten assists. Abby Shepard came off the bench to net 22 points with six treys. Jazmen Watts led IUSB with 20 markers.
Indiana Northwest 77, Saint Xavier 72 --- OT
Indiana Northwest's starters accounted for all of its scoring with the RedHawks needing every last point to advance. IUN's Jessica Carrothers led all scorers with 31 points, while Ava Kingery chipped in another 21 points. Ryann Ogarek and Alyssa Crenshaw each had 19 points for Saint Xavier, with Ogarek also totaling nine rebounds.
The complete results and remaining schedule follow:
Wednesday, February 26, 2025
Game #1: No. 1 seed Governors State 73, No. 8 seed Viterbo 53
Game #2: No. 4 seed Indiana Northwest 77, No. 5 seed Saint Xavier 72 --- OT
Game #3: No. 2 seed Olivet Nazarene 92, No. 7 seed Holy Cross 90
Game #4: No. 3 seed St. Francis 92, No. 6 seed Indiana South Bend 66
Friday, February 28, 2025 (at site of highest remaining seed)
Game #5: No. 4 seed Indiana Northwest (23-6) at No. 1 seed Governors State (24-5) --- 5:30 pm
Game #6: No. 3 seed St. Francis (23-6) at No. 2 seed Olivet Nazarene (20-9) --- 5:30 pm
Monday, March 3, 2025 (at site of highest remaining seed)
Game #7: Winner-Game #5 vs. Winner-Game #6 --- TBA