Bishops use 18-0 run to complete NCAC Women's Basketball Tournament run with win over Oberlin

Ohio Wesleyan won the NCAC automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament after a 79-71 win in the NCAC Women's Basketball Tournament final over Oberlin Saturday afternoon at Neal Fieldhouse.

Banner Graphic/TRENT SCOTT

Ohio Wesleyan capped a two-day stay in Greencastle by claiming its sixth NCAC Women’s Basketball Tournament title after defeating Oberlin 79-71 Saturday afternoon at Neal Fieldhouse.

The Battling Bishops defeated the Yeowomen twice during the 2022-23 regular season by margins of 14 and 52 points but were made to earn their first title since 2009.

No. 3 seed Ohio Wesleyan looked to use its athleticism, force turnovers and score in transition while No. 4 seed Oberlin looked to get into halfcourt sets and use its interior size to play inside-out, a battle of styles that ebbed and flowed for much of the afternoon.

The Bishops started off the game with a 6-2 lead off a Elizabeth Homan layup but trailed much of the period after a three from Alyson Jefferson gave the Yeowomen an 8-6 lead.

Back-and-forth scoring saw Oberlin hold a four-point lead late before Ohio Wesleyan scored the last six points of the opening quarter for a 22-20 lead.

Neither team led by more than four points in the opening half with five lead changes occurring in the second quarter, four coming in the last 1:37 of the half as a layup from Camille Zinaich gave the Yeowomen a 38-37 lead at the break.

An 8-0 run midway through the third quarter through a Jefferson jumper and three, along with a Gina Lombard trey, saw the Yeowomen take a 52-42 lead before a Bryanna Woodard three saw the lead crest at 55-44 with 2:44 left in the third quarter.

Ohio Wesleyan responded by cranking its fullcourt pressure up to its max, finishing the period on a 9-0 run to close the game to 55-53.

The Bishops tied the game on a Alyssa Griner layup and took the lead for good on a Kasey Schippfer jumper at 57-55 while Homan capped an 18-0 run with a jumper for a 62-55 advantage.

Zinaich finally broke the eight-minute run with a jumper but Ohio Wesleyan was in command and saw out the final five minutes, sinking 10-of-14 free throws in the final quarter to ice the game.

The Bishops outscored the Yeowomen 33-6 off of turnovers thanks to a plus-18 turnover margin, 23-5 in transition and 46-36 in the paint, despite being outrebounded by 16.

Schipfer led all scorers with 22 points for Ohio Wesleyan to go along with 11 rebounds with Griner adding 18 points and Homan chipping in 16 points and four steals. Oberlin had four scorers in double-figures with Zinaich scoring 14 points along with 11 rebounds, Jefferson and Woodard scoring 13 points each and Lombard adding 12 points.

Schipfer was named Nan Nichols MVP of the tournament with Homan, Lombard, Zinaich, DePauw’s Diana Burgher and Wiittenberg’s Evie Wolshire named to the all-tournament team.

Ohio Wesleyan will face Gustavus Adolphus in the opening round of the NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball Tournament at Wisconsin-Whitewater March 3 at 6:15 p.m.

Scoring

Oberlin (20-33 2FG; 9-24 3FG; 4-6 FT) — Zinaich 14, Jefferson 13, Woodard 13, Lombard 12, Najmuiski 6, Burns 5, O’Reilly 4, Kumler 4

Ohio Wesleyan (26-50 2FG; 1-12 3FG; 24-30 FT) — Schipfer 22, Griner 18, Homan 16, Denison 8, Ross 6, Guscoff 5, Maxeiner 4

Statistics