San Antonio, Texas - The University of Redlands Women's Basketball team took on a formidable opponent in No. 12/14 Hardin-Simmons University (TX) in the first round of the NCAA Division III National Championships Friday night but came up short of the upset in a 77-66 decision.
While making its third NCAA appearance in program history, all under Head Coach Rich Murphy Redlands finishes the 2022-23 season with a 19-8, 12-4 SCIAC record.
Amidst a back-and-forth battle, the teams traded baskets throughout the first 10 minutes to keep the score close. The Maroon and Grey knocked down 83.3% of their shots, including 2-of-3 from distance, to snag a 23-22 lead. Chyanne Pagkalinawan (Valencia, CA) and Aliyah Anderson (Oceanside, CA) combined for a 7-for-8 effort for 17 of the team's first-quarter points.
However, Hardin-Simmons forced Redlands into early foul trouble, changing the trajectory of the game early on.
After the Cowgirls went up by five with 7:46 left in the second quarter, the Bulldogs responded by closing the gap on their next two possessions. First, Julia Balestreri (Pleasanton, CA) grabbed an offensive rebound before putting back a layup, which was immediately followed by Alyssa Downs (South San Francisco, CA) who took advantage of an HSU turnover by knocking down a three-pointer to even the score at 30-30.
However, the Cowgirls mustered a 10-4 run to head into the locker room with a slight 40-34 lead.
During the second half, HSU continued to work the ball inside, keeping Redlands at bay with fouls being a concern. Coach Murphy looked to his bench, with Carly Hicks (Portland, OR) stepping up for six points and two rebounds in nine minutes of action.
The Bulldogs fought until the final whistle, but they never overcame the halftime deficit, leading to the season-ending loss.
Anderson led the Maroon and Grey with 13 points, while Pagkalinawan added 12 and Downs provided 11. Colbi Zorich (Kenmore, WA) tossed in seven points and hauled in a team-high eight rebounds, and Hannah Jerrier (Canton, MA) supplied six points and seven boards.
