March 20, 2025
Postseason WNIT | 3/20/2024 9:40:42 PM
MONTANA 92, BOISE STATE 66
MISSOULA, MT – Montana ran off nine straight points to start the third quarter and build a 16-point lead, and the Grizzlies preserved the advantage the rest of the way in taking down Boise State in Round 1 of the 2024 Postseason WNIT.
The Grizzlies (23-9) had an outstanding night shooting from the 3-point line, going 15-for-25 overall and wrapping up with five players reaching double figures in scoring. Maggie Espenmiller-McGraw had 20 points, Macey Huard and Mack Konig each tallied 16 points, and Carmen Gfeller and Gina Marxen each added 14 points. Montana shot 52 percent from the field.
Montana will face North Dakota State in Round 2, with site/date/time still TBA.
The Broncos (21-14) closed with a 42-35 edge in rebounds but had 18 turnovers. Natalie Pasco scored 21 points, Mya Hansen had 20 points and Dani Bayes closed with 10 points.
Montana now leads the all-time series with Boise State, 39-12.
SOUTHERN MISS 79, UAB 74
HATTIESBURG, MS – Melyia Grayson helped drive a comeback effort for Southern Miss, which trailed by 10 points after three quarters but scored 31 points in the final 10 minutes to top UAB and claim a Round 1 victory in the 2024 Postseason WNIT.
Grayson closed with 22 points and a career-high 16 rebounds, and Domonique Davis scored 26 points while playing 37 minutes for the Lady Eagles (19-13), who will play Murray State in Round 2 – that game will be at Southern Miss, set for a 6 p.m. ET tipoff on Saturday, March 23.
Nyla Jean hit a layup with 8:17 to go in the fourth quarter as Southern Miss authored its comeback, pulling her team within 60-59 as UAB called timeout – the Golden Eagles then moved ahead 61-60 on a layup by Grayson. A 14-0 run for Southern Miss in the frame turned the tide as Grayson hit another layup to make it 73-65 and Jacorriah Bracey converted a 3-pointer and free throw as the lead moved to 77-65 with 2:21 to go in the contest.
Freshman forward Jade Weathersby rang up a career-high 19 points along with nine rebounds for UAB (18-14). The Blazers began the game with an 11-0 run and drained six 3-pointers in first quarter, but Southern Miss used a 14-5 scoring run to end the quarter and keep the game close. USM now leads the all-time series against UAB by a margin of 42-26.
UAB had 16 3-pointers compared to three for Southern Miss, but the Golden Eagles led in rebounding (41-34) and shot 51 percent from the field. Denim DeShields had 18 points for UAB.
PURDUE FORT WAYNE 83, EASTERN KENTUCKY 75
FORT WAYNE, IN – Purdue Fort Wayne earned its first postseason victory in program history on Thursday, sealing the deal against Eastern Kentucky with a 30-point fourth quarter to advance to Round 2 of the 2024 Postseason WNIT.
The Mastodons (22-12) will play at Cincinnati next -- tipoff is set for 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 24.
Purdue Fort Wayne rode a 16-0 run in second quarter to claim the lead. Amellia Bromenschenkel had 22 points and four rebounds for the Mastodons; Destinee Marshall and Jazzlyn Libo each scored 14 points and Audra Emmerson added 12 points. PFW forced 21 turnovers and shot 24-of-29 from the free-throw line.
The Colonels (22-12) got 20 points each from Antwainette Walker and Kaitlyn Costner, and Alice Recanati had 10 points. Walker added seven rebounds for Eastern Kentucky, which closed with a 40-25 edge in rebounds and shot well from the free-throw line as well (24-of-26).