WOMEN’S Tournament in Billings, MT
Second-seeded Central Methodist picked up a come-from-behind 98-86 victory over seventh-seeded Arizona Christian in a first-round game of the 2018 NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship.
Arizona Christian outscored the Eagles 12-2 in the first four minutes and led by 10 after one quarter 26-16. Central Methodist opened the second quarter with an 11-3 run to trim the Firestorm lead to two at 29-27.
The Eagles took their first lead of the game late in the first half and opened their halftime lead to 71-59 after three quarters.
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A series of clutch free throws from senior Jordan Closter closed a close game as seven-seed Benedictine College (Kan.) upset two-seed Columbia (Mo.) 68-59 in the first game.
The game was tied at 48 all entering the fourth quarter, and BC went on an immediate 6-0 run. Columbia answered back with an 8-2 run of their own, but the Raven’s Kristen Murphy hit a three with 4:15 left on the clock and Benedictine never looked back.
This marks the second straight year that the Cougars bow out of the tournament in the first round despite being the favorite.
MEN’S Tournament in Kansas City.
A 15-0 run late in the second half lifted the top seed in the Liston Bracket, LSU Shreveport (La.)over No. 8 Harris-Stowe State (Mo.) by a 72-63 count at the 81st Annual NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball National Championship, Wednesday evening at Municipal Auditorium.
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No. 7-seeded Wayland Baptist (Texas) held No. 2-seeded Central Methodist (Mo.) to its lowest point total of the season to post a 68-44 victory.
No. 2 Columbia (Mo.) (27-4) vs. No. 7 Campbellsville (Ky.) (23-9) plays Thursday afternoon at 4:00 in Kansas City.