The game had all the hallmarks of what made this one of the most impressive seasons in the history of The Master's University women's basketball program.
Anika Neuman fearlessly flinging three-pointers that dipped through the net.
Stephanie Soares patrolling the paint and finishing at the rim. A frenetic, swarming defense that few have been able to define, much less attack.
The day also featured a top-seeded Montana Western team that returned five starters from last year's national semifinal run, a team that banked in a momentum-swinging three at the end of the third quarter and that continued to knock down clutch shots in Saturday's defining moments.
The Bulldogs lived up to their name, overcoming a 12-point second half deficit to beat the second-seeded Mustangs, 60-55, in an NAIA Division 1 quarterfinal in Billings, Montana.
Neuman scored a game-high 16 points for Master's (28-7), which matched its record for wins in a season and advanced to the quarters for the second time ever.
The Mustangs' haul also included the first Golden State Athletic Conference regular season title in program history. Â
"This group got so much better as the year went on," said TMU coach
Dan Waldeck. "They grew up a ton, battled through injuries and maintained a dynamic identity through the year."
Soares had 14 points and 16 rebounds, good for her NAIA-best 30th double-double of the year.
Sabrina Thompson added 12 points, two coming on a difficult shot that gave Master's a four-point lead with 2:34 left in regulation.
After Montana Western pulled ahead 55-53 around the one-minute mark, Soares hit a pair of free throws to tie it. But Shannon Worster slipped behind TMU's zone, caught a pass and laid it in to give the Bulldogs the lead for good with 22 seconds left.
Master's turned the ball over twice in the final 15 seconds.
"They hit tough shots at key times and we didn't," said Neuman, who made 3-of-6 three-pointers Saturday and averaged 18 points in the three tournament games.
Defensively, the Mustangs held Women's Basketball Coaches Association Player of the Year Brianna King to 12 points (well below her season average of 22), which was a big part of why Master's was able to turn a one-point deficit at the half into a lead of 12 midway through the third.
But the Bulldogs, who will face Freed-Hardeman Monday in a rematch of last year's semifinal, had one more run in them. You could bank on it.
Cierra Lamey's three-pointer skipped off the glass and fell in as the third-quarter buzzer sounded, cutting TMU's lead to eight and decisively swinging momentum toward the Bulldogs. Â
Montana Western (28-4) opened the fourth quarter on an 11-2 run, taking the lead and setting the stage for a tense final few minutes.
On more than one occasion this season, it was the Mustangs who overcame a double-digit deficit against a highly ranked opponent. Not Saturday. Â
Still, Neuman said she was proud of her team and that she felt blessed to be a part of it.
"We have accomplished some great wins this season, but what I'll remember is this group of girls," the sophomore said. "There is no one else I'd choose to go into battle with. Our team is so special. We have something so rare that unites us, and that's our love for Jesus. Although our goal was to win that banner, we walk away knowing our identity is much greater than that."
Soares, a freshman, echoed the teammate with which she figures to form a special front court with for the next two seasons.
"Getting to the final eight teams with these girls was such an amazing experience," she said. "It stinks to lose, but we know that we represented the Lord well, and we leave this tournament knowing that we brought glory to Him in all our wins and our losses."
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