Center Valley, PA (February 29, 2020) - Sophomore Samantha Shinkus was three steals shy of a triple-double finishing with 22 points and 10 assists to earn MAC Freedom postseason tournament Most Valuable Player honors leading the #21 DeSales University women's basketball team to its eighth MAC Freedom Conference title, 78-53, over King's College on Saturday afternoon.

The Basics

• Final Score: DeSales - 78, King's - 53
• Records: DeSales (23-4 overall); King's (16-11 overall)
• The championship is DSU's eighth all-time and second straight.
• The Bulldogs earn the automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament will find out its destination and opponent on Monday afternoon.

How it Happened

• The Bulldogs never trailed in this one opening up a 10-2 lead and holding King's without a field goal for the first 5:45 of the game.
• The lead was six after one quarter and the Monarchs got within one point scoring the first five points of the second quarter as the rest of the first-half went back-and-forth with DeSales holding that same six-point advantage (34-28) at the half.
• Shinkus, senior Molly Jansco, and fellow sophomore Averi Jordan opened the scoring in the second-half quickly pushing the lead up to double digits for the first time all game taking a 40-28 lead.
• The two teams traded baskets over the final seven minutes of the third quarter and freshman Maria Newsome hit two free throws with no time left on the third quarter clock to make it a 59-46 game.
• Sophomore Rylie Rittenhouse hit a 3 to open the fourth quarter and a Newsome lay-up pushed DSU up 18 points (64-46) and it was celebration time the rest of the way as King's never got closer than 15 points the rest of the way.

Top Bulldog Performers

• Shinkus 22 points were a season-high and her 10 helpers and seven steals were both career-highs.
• Rittenhouse was once again outstanding off the bench with 18 points and eight rebounds.
• Jansco and Newsome each had 14 points with Jansco pulling down a team-high nine boards.
• Jordan finished with eight points, six rebounds, and three steals.

For the Foes

• Mackenzie Yori had 13 points to lead King's.
• Rebecca Prociak added a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
• Emily Morano came off the bench to score 12 points.

Inside the Box Score

• The Bulldogs shot 46.9 percent from the field and were terrific from the free throw line hitting 14-for-16 (87.5%).
• DSU turned the ball over just 13 times and forced 20 King's miscues leading to 20 points.
• DeSales also dominated the paint out-scoring the Monarchs 44-22 in the lane and out-rebounding KC, 42-33.
• DSU forced King's into just 29.6 percent shooting for the game.

Watch the final seconds, the awards and net-cutting ceremonies, and an interview with sophomore Samantha Shinkus from today's broadcast on DSUSN here: