Spring Arbor Outlasts Indiana Tech in NAIA First Round Battle

SPRING ARBOR, Mich. – The Spring Arbor University women's basketball team survived and advanced Friday night, grinding out a 59-56 victory over Indiana Tech in the First Round of the NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship inside the McDonald Athletic Center.

The Cougars, the No. 6 seed in the tournament, improved to 23-7 on the season and advanced to Saturday's second round after holding off the No. 11-seeded Warriors in a tightly contested battle throughout.

Indiana Tech entered the game red-hot, winners of 17 of its previous 18 contests and fresh off a Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Tournament championship. The Warriors struck first with a 3-pointer from leading scorer Taylor Covington, but Spring Arbor responded with seven straight points to take the lead and never trailed again.

Despite maintaining the advantage for the remainder of the game, the Cougars were never able to pull away, with their largest lead capped at seven points.

The game came down to the final moments in the fourth quarter. Spring Arbor led by five with under a minute to play before Indiana Tech trimmed the margin to three with 24 seconds remaining. The Cougars made one of two free throws on the ensuing possession, but the Warriors quickly answered with a basket to pull within two, 56-54, with 11 seconds left.

Freshman Rielyn Goodwin delivered in the clutch, knocking down two free throws to push the lead back to four. Indiana Tech scored again to keep the pressure on, but Aubrey Crockett converted one of two free throws in the closing seconds to give Spring Arbor a three-point cushion.

The Warriors had one final opportunity to tie, but their 3-point attempt at the buzzer missed, sealing the Cougar victory.

Goodwin and Ashley Weller led Spring Arbor with 12 points each, while Haven Chapman added 11. Emma Smieska chipped in nine points and grabbed seven rebounds.

Spring Arbor shot 37 percent from the field and turned in a strong defensive effort, holding Indiana Tech to its worst shooting performance of the season at 33 percent overall and just 3-of-18 from 3-point range.

With the win, the Cougars advance to the Second Round where they will face No. 3-seed University of Tennessee Southern on Saturday, Mar. 14 at 5 p.m. The winner will earn a trip to the national tournament final site in Sioux City, Iowa.