Coon Rapids, Minn. - 

Second-ranked Minnesota West Community & Technical College avenged an 81-53 regular season loss to third-ranked Northland Community & Technical College with a 75-69 overtime win in the Region XIII-B championship game Sunday (March 3) at Anoka-Ramsey Community College in Coon Rapids. 

Sunday's championship game was similar to the regular season meeting during the first half. The Pioneers led by two points at the end of the first quarter and built a nine-point, 34-25 lead after 20 minutes were in the books. The third quarter proved to be the difference between the two games. In the regular season meeting, the Pioneers turned a 45-28 halftime lead into a 69-40 advantage through three quarters.

On Sunday, the Blue Jays controlled the third quarter, with a 21-11 advantage over the first 10 minutes coming out of the half. 

The fourth quarter featured nine lead changes and five ties. The Pioneers' final lead came with 1:54 remaining on a Tiyana Schwinghammer jumper that put her team in front 61-60. The Pioneers' trailed 64-62 late, with Riley Mooney tying the game 64-64, with 32 seconds remaining in regulation. Both teams would have chances at game-winning buckets. The Pioneers' attempted to hold for the last shot, with Shavonda Bender missing a potential game-winner with three seconds remaining. Minnesota West's Olivia Hayenga grabbed the rebound and called timeout, which allowed the Bluejays to inbound the ball from mid-court. With just over two seconds remaining, the Bluejays inbounded the ball to Hayenga, who also missed a potential game-winner. 

The Pioneers were playing in their second consecutive overtime game, after previously defeating MState-Fergus Falls 62-58 in overtime on Saturday. Sunday's overtime period didn't go as well for the Pioneers. The Bluejays scored the first five points of the overtime period and went on to win 75-69.

The win gives Minnesota West an automatic berth into the NJCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship Tournament. Northland is still alive for an at-large bid. At-large bids will be announced during the NJCAA Division III Women's Basketball Selection Show on Wednesday, March 6 at 2 p.m. 

 

Minnesota West at NorthlandMarch 3, 2024

(23-7, 10-2)
75

(22-5, 7-0)
69

Final	1	2	3	4	OT	T
Minnesota West	16	9	21	18	11	75
Northland	18	16	11	19	5	69

 

Box Score

Minnesota West

PLAYER	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
STARTERS
10 - Hattie DeVries	38	7-13	0-0	5-6	1	2	3	2	1	0	3	4	19
11 - Skyla Petersen	26	2-7	0-1	0-0	0	2	2	2	0	0	2	5	4
13 - Wiconi UsesArrow	38	3-9	1-3	1-4	3	4	7	0	0	0	0	0	8
15 - Audrey Drapeau	45	6-18	3-7	1-4	0	4	4	5	1	0	2	0	16
20 - Olivia Hayenga	45	5-10	1-5	11-13	1	16	17	0	1	1	5	2	22
RESERVES
2 - Ava Parrish	15	0-1	0-1	0-2	1	2	3	0	0	0	3	1	0
22 - Dasia Potter	19	2-6	2-5	0-0	3	2	5	1	1	0	2	1	6
TM - Team					5	5	10				0	0
TOTALS		25-64	7-22	18-29	14	37	51	10	4	1	17	13	75
		39.1%	31.8%	62.1%

Northland

PLAYER	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
STARTERS
1 - Josie Iverson	44	4-18	0-5	3-4	1	5	6	3	4	0	5	4	11
4 - Emma Osborn	37	3-10	3-10	0-0	1	2	3	3	2	0	2	4	9
5 - Tiyana Schwinghammer	43	10-21	1-2	3-6	4	8	12	4	3	0	0	4	24
12 - Shavonda Bender	33	3-9	0-1	0-0	4	2	6	2	0	0	2	1	6
23 - Riley Mooney	40	4-16	1-7	0-1	2	5	7	1	1	0	2	3	9
RESERVES
10 - Hannah Halvorson	15	4-5	0-0	2-2	3	4	7	0	0	0	0	0	10
11 - Sunny Edin	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
24 - Ashley Gereau	9	0-1	0-1	0-0	2	1	3	0	0	0	0	3	0
TM - Team					1	2	3				0	0
TOTALS		28-80	5-26	8-13	18	29	47	13	10	0	11	19	69
		35.0%	19.2%	61.5%

Game Information

Date/Time:	March 3, 2024 - 2:30 PM
Location:	Performance Gym
Technical fouls:	Minnesota West-None ; Northland-None .