INDEPENDENCE, Mo. – In thrilling fashion, The Master’s College women’s basketball team outlasted No. 24 Loyola University (La.) 59-57 in the first round of the NAIA Women’s Basketball National Tournament on Wednesday morning.
With the scored tied at 57-all, TMC’s Bianca Cubello (Riverside, CA) sealed the victory for the seventh-ranked Lady Mustangs with .07 seconds left to play. The junior forward scored the game winner after receiving a beautiful pass from an inbound Nicole Nitake (Torrance, CA).
“Nitake and Cubello executed that final play exactly how it was drawn up,” commented TMC head coach Dan Waldeck at post game media interview.
The win, TMC’s first national tournament victory since 2008, improved the Lady Mustangs’ record to 25-5.
After outscoring the Wolf Pack through four, hard-fought quarters (11-13, 21-19, 12-12, 15-13) that displayed only 10 lead changes but featured 16 tied scores, the Lady Mustangs went 19-54 (35%) from the field, 8-17 from behind the arc, and completed 13 out of 18 (72%) free throws.
Cubello finished the game with game with 16 points and grabbed a game-high eight rebounds. Nitake, who went 5-9 behind the arc, also scored 16 points. Notably, Chayan Lowery (Spring Valley, CA) had an impressive game by draining 13 points and tallying three blocked shots and three steals. Megan Lindsley (Vancouver, WA) led TMC with eight assists.
“I couldn’t be more thankful and proud of these ladies,” further assessed Waldeck. “Their mental toughness to overcome so many hurdles was inspiring. We found a way to win and advance, and after having only two games in the last four weeks, our will overcame our rust. This team continues to represent The Master’s College, and more importantly, our Lord, with excellence and character.”
Now, the third-seeded Lady Mustangs will take on No. 2 seed Campbellsville (Ky.) in the second round of the NAIA National Tournament.
“They are really good, really balanced, well coached, and experienced,” commented Waldeck. “We’ll need to play with enthusiasm and focus as we prepare for them.”
Tipoff is slated for 9:00 AM (CST) at the Silverstein Eye Centers Arena in Independence, Missouri.
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