FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CHAPMAN LANDS IN DIII INDEPENDENTS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

ORANGE, Calif. – The winning streak gets longer with each victory getting bigger. This one – the Panthers’ school record 15th straight victory – put the Chapman University women’s basketball team in the championship game of the Division III Independents West Region postseason tournament. Their next one could put them into the NCAA playoffs.

Chapman (21-5), the No. 1 seed in the tournament – used a strong defensive front in the second half to defeat No. 4 Nebraska Wesleyan University 69-58 at Hutton Center on Friday night. The Panthers will face No. 2 Colorado College on Saturday at 5 p.m. in the championship game. The Tigers defeated No. 3 U.C. Santa Cruz 63-56 earlier on Friday to advance to the finals.

The Panthers struggled to build much of an advantage in the first half and when NWU’s Ally Mahlman hit a three-pointer at the buzzer, Chapman’s halftime lead was just 38-37. But the Panther defense took over in the second half, limiting the Prairie Wolves to 25 percent shooting and just six field goals over the final 20 minutes. Chapman went on a 12-0 run midway through the second half and remained in the lead for good.

Sophomore G Nicole Hayman scored 13 of her game-high 22 points in the second half to lead the Panthers. In fact, Hayman’s three-pointer with 1:39 left in the game was the nail in the coffin for Nebraska Wesleyan (4-22). Junior G Jessica Kunisaki scored a season-high 15 points and added six assists for Chapman.

For the Prairie Wolves, Devan Aschtgen earned a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, while Mahlman finished with 11 points, including three three-pointers. Senior G Samantha Porter earned nine points and four assists to tie Nebraska Wesleyan’s all-time assists record with 328. NWU will face U.C. Santa Cruz in the tournament’s consolation game on Saturday at 3 p.m.

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No. 2 Colorado College 63, No. 3 U.C. Santa Cruz 56
In the tournament opener, U.C. Santa Cruz (10-16) overcame an 11-point second half deficit and tied the game at 52-52 with 2:56 remaining in the game, but could never capture the lead, falling to second-seeded Colorado College 63-56. The Tigers finished the game on an 11-4 run to clinch a berth in the championship game on Saturday against host Chapman.

Four players scored in double figures for Colorado College (10-13), including Eliese Hansberry, who earned a double-double in points (14) and rebounds (10). Melanie Auguste scored 13 and added seven assists for the Tigers.

U.C. Santa Cruz was led by Kayleigh Calandri, who scored 20 points, including four three-pointers.

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Game stats available online:
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