(SIOUX CITY, Iowa) – The top-ranked and top-seeded Thomas More University women's baseball team defeated 14th-ranked and ninth-seeded Dakota State (S.D.) University, 72-47, today (Saturday, March 20, 2021) in the NAIA Women's Basketball Championship Quarterfinals at the Tyson Event Center in Sioux City, Iowa.
- Dakota State scored the first basket of the game eight-seconds into the game and led 2-0.
- Thomas More then went on a 21-2 run to take a 21-4 lead after one quarter when junior guard Taylor Clos (Alexandria, Ky./Campbell County) made a three-pointer with 48-seconds to play in the quarter.
- The Saints opened the second quarter on a 9-5 run to extend the lead to 30-9 when sophomore guard Zoie Barth (Fort Thomas, Ky./Highlands) made a three-pointer with 6:11 to play in the quarter.
- Ashlyn McDonald made two free-throws with 2:24 to play in the second quarter to cap a 9-2 run to cut the Saints' lead to 32-18.
- Undaunted Thomas More closed out the second quarter on a 10-2 run to take a 42-20 halftime lead when Clos made a three-pointer with five-seconds to play in the half.
- Thomas More shot 44.4 percent (16-of-36) from the field in the first half, while holding Dakota State to 29.2 percent (seven-of-24) shooting.
- Clos led the Saints with nine points.
- Sophomore guard Summer Secrist (Taylor Mill, Ky./Scott) added eight points.
- Senior guard Briana McNutt (Maysville, Ky./Mason County) had six points.
- Sophomore guard Emily Simon (Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson) pulled down seven rebounds and had four points.
- Thomas More opened the third quarter on an 8-2 run to increase the lead to 50-22 when graduate forward Alexah Chrisman (Greendale, Ind./McAuley) made a jumper with 6:19 to play in the quarter.
- Courtney Menning made one-of-two free-throws with six seconds to play in the third quarter to cap a 15-9 run for Dakota State and cut the Saints' lead to 59-37 after three quarters.
- Dakota State opened the fourth quarter on a 7-4 run to cut the lead to 63-44 with 3:20 to play in the game.
- That would be as close as Dakota State would come as Thomas More closed out the game on a 9-3 run to cruise to the 72-47 victory.
- The Saints shot 34.6 percent (nine-of-26) in the second half, while holding Dakota State to 26.7 percent (eight-of-30) shooting.
- Chrisman tallied six points and five rebounds in the second half.
- Sophomore guard Courtney Hurst (Burlington, Ky./Conner) scored five points.
- The Saints improve to 28-1 on the season and advance to the NAIA Women's Basketball Championship Semifinals.
- Dakota State ends the season at 27-4.
- The Saints shot 40.3 percent (25-of-62) from the field.
- Dakota State shot 27.8 percent (15-of-54) from the field.
- Clos scored 12 points, dished out five assists, recorded three steals and had one rebound.
- Secrist finished with 12 points, five rebounds, four steals and two assists.
- McNutt added 10 points, eight rebounds, one block shot and one steal.
- Chrisman had 10 points, eight rebounds and two blocked shots.
- Barth finished with nine points, four rebounds and two assists.
- Hurst had eight points, three rebounds, three assists and one steal.
- Simon added eight points, nine rebounds, seven assists and one steal.
- The Saints will play seventh-ranked and fifth-seeded Morningside (Iowa) College at 6 p.m. Central/7 p.m. Eastern on Monday (March 22) in the national semifinals at the Tyson Event Center.
