No. 3 Wiley (Texas) Handles No. 7 Shawnee State (Ohio), 81-70

FRANKFORT, Kentucky  –  No. 3 Wiley (Texas) became the second team to advance to its first-ever NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball National Championship quarterfinals by defeating No. 7 Shawnee State (Ohio), 81-70.

The Lady Wildcats knocked off No. 6 Mobile (Ala.), 74-72, on Thursday morning to advance to the second round, while the Bears upset No. 2 Oklahoma Baptist to make their fourth-straight second round in their fourth-straight national championship appearance.

The first half featured five ties and six lead changes, with Wiley never leading by more than the one point advantage they took to the locker room at halftime. Senior guard Alannah Sheets, who scored a tournament-high 45 points in the Bears first round matchup, had a game-high 14 points at the half.

Sheets went cold after scoring the first two points of the second half on free throws. The Mid-South Conference Player of the Year scored just two points in the final 19:37, leaving Shawnee State to rely on their No. 2 scorer, senior guard Priscila Santos. Santos stepped up with 10 second-half points and totaled a team-high 22 in the losing effort.

Wiley never trailed in the final 9:51 after a back-and-forth battle for the first 30 minutes of game action. The Bears finished the contest on a six-point run to end with their largest lead of the game at 11.

Senior guard Danisha Shaw scored 11 in the second half to finish with a game-high 23 as one of two Wildcats in double-figures.

Shawnee State won the battle of the boards (52-40), but Wiley shot better from the field (45.5 percent) and from beyond the arc (50.0 percent) in the win. Wiley’s pressure defense led to 10 steals for the Wildcats and forced the Bears to commit 16 turnovers.

Wiley (29-4) advances to its first-ever quarterfinals and will face the winner of No. 4 MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) and No. 1 Westminster (Utah).

Shawnee State is eliminated in the second round for the third-straight year and ends the season with a record of 20-13.

Box Score

NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship Schedule/Results
NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship Bracket

By: Sam Knehans, Communications & Sports Information Intern
Red River Athletic Conference