ALEXANDRIA, La. – The Mount Vernon Nazarene University women’s basketball team played the role of Cinderella in the Alexandria (Louisiana) Bracket A over the weekend.
The Cougars put the ‘Madness’ in March Madness by knocking off previously unbeaten Wayland Baptist 77-74 in the opening-round finals of the NAIA national tournament.
MVNU, making its second-ever trip to the national showcase, was the tournament’s 35th seed overall compared to the Flying Queens (13-1), the fourth seed overall and top seed of the bracket.
The Cougars (16-11) got the chance after the program’s first-ever NAIA tournament win the night before — a 73-58 decision over 31st-overall seed LSU Shreveport.
Sage Brannon hit three of four free throws and scored the ensuing possession’s basket after a technical foul to give MVNU the lead for good against Wayland Baptist.
Taylor Gregory scored three consecutive baskets down the stretch to help MVNU push the lead as high as seven before holding off the Flying Queens.
Gregory, who posted a double-double in both games, led MVNU with 15 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks against Wayland Baptist. She had 18 points, 11 rebounds and four assists against the Pilots the night before.
Maggie Coe caught fire for the Cougars with 23 points and four assists in the win over Wayland Baptist. Brannon had 15 points and four helpers, Rilee Pireu added 10 points, Maggie Coblentz went for eight points and eight boards, and Elizabeth Fee was a force on the glass with 12 rebounds.
Peyton Brown scored 20 points, Kaylee Edgemon had 18 points and Jenna Cooper chipped in 10 points for the Flying Queens. The trio each pulled down eight rebounds, while Cooper added six assists and Brown dished out four.
Coe knocked down a pair of free throws midway through the first quarter to put MVNU ahead for good against LSU Shreveport in Friday’s opener. But it was a 10-point run to start the second half on the strength of a pair of Rylee Pireu 3-pointers that proved to be a bridge too far for the Pilots.
Pireu finished with 17 points and three steals; Coe had 16 points, five rebounds and five assists; and Elizabeth Fee contributed 11 points and six boards for the Cougars.
DeAuja Thompson had 23 points, six boards and three steals; and Angel Reese added 14 points and nine rebounds to pace the Pilots (16-2).
