Box Score
SCRANTON, Pa. – The Immaculata University women's basketball team will play for the Colonial States Athletic Conference championship and a trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament on Saturday. The No. 3 seed Mighty Macs advance to the title game with their 78-64 win against second-seeded Marywood University in the semifinals on Wednesday night.
Immaculata will meet the top-seeded Knights of Neumann University in the CSAC championship game on Saturday. Neumann advanced to the championship with its 65-48 win against No. 4 seed Gwynedd-Mercy College in the other semifinal.
“We are advancing to the championship game because of the players' hard work and dedication throughout the entire season,” said head coach Patty Canterino. “The players on the team have put in time and effort since the first day of practice on October 15 working towards this moment. They have given it everything they have, and I am so happy for them.”
Rachel Denis led Immaculata with a double-double of 20 points and 12 rebounds. Kelly Brown added 18 points and nine rebounds. Chelsea McTigue poured in 15 points and six rebounds, and Bridget Welz was the Mighty Macs' other scorer in double figures with 10 points. Chrissy Esbensen dished out 10 assists and had four steals.
Marywood scored the opening bucket but Immaculata answered with a Bridget Welz three-pointer just 13 seconds later. The Pacers got a jumper from Lauren Rogan to retake the early lead, 4-3, at the 17:59 mark, and it would be Marywood's last advantage of the game.
Immaculata scored eight straight points to take an 11-4, but Marywood's basket to end the drought with 14:56 left began a 9-3 run to get the Pacers within one (14-13).
The Mighty Macs extended their edge into double figures by the 8:17-mark (27-17), and Immaculata saw its first-half lead grow to as many as 21 (42-21). Marywood ended the first half knocking down two free throws, and Immaculata led, 42-23, at the break.
Denis led all scorers at intermission with 12 points as she was 4-for-8 from beyond the arc. Leah Kuzcynski had eight points and Welz added seven points. Denis also had six rebounds, and Esbensen dished out seven assists and had three steals.
Immaculata shot 53.1 percent from the field during the first half on 17 of 32 shooting. Marywood was just 9-for-31 from the field (.290).
Marywood came out in the second half scoring nine straight points to trim its deficit to eight (42-34) before Immaculata had a chance to answer. McTigue scored the Mighty Macs' first basket of the stanza with a fast-break layup at the 15:14 mark.
The Pacers came as close as seven (44-37) with 14:58 left in the contest, but Immaculata scored nine straight to up its edge to 50-37 with 11:38 remaining. The Mighty Macs still held a 15-point cushion (63-48) with 3:58 left after Brown hit a three.
Marywood tried to stage a comeback with six consecutive points to cut Immaculata's lead to single digits once again, 63-54. It would not be as the Mighty Macs answered the call at the foul line down the stretch. Immaculata went 12-for-14 from the charity stripe during the closing 2:19 to seal the win.
Marywood also had four scorers in double digits led by Rogan's 18 points.
