Center Valley, PA (February 25, 2022) - The DeSales University women's basketball team erased a six-point fourth quarter deficit earning a fourth straight trip to the MAC Freedom Championship game with a 57-54 win over Misericordia University in the MAC Freedom semifinals on Friday evening iin Billera Hall.

The Basics

• Final Score: DeSales - 57, Misericordia - 54
• Records: DeSales (20-3 Overall); Misericordia (16-11 overall)
• The Bulldogs will be making its 18th appearance in the MAC Freedom championship game in its 25-year history in the conference.
• DSU will be looking for its fourth straight conference crown and 10th overall.
• DeSales has won 19 straight games and extends its school-record win streak at home to 26 games with the win.
• It is the ninth straight win over Misericordia and improves the Bulldogs to 40-12 all-time vs. the Cougars.

How it Happened

• After Misericordia opened the game scoring seven of the first nine points, DSU countered with an 11-0 run to take a 13-7 lead and led by four (17-13) after one quarter of play.
• The lead grew to as many as nine points in the second quarter as both teams struggled to score and DeSales took a 28-21 lead into the halftime locker room.
• The lead was five (34-29) with 5:41 left in the third quarter when the Cougars got hot, finishing the third quarter on a 14-3 run to take a 43-37 lead.
• MU shot 60 percent in the quarter and out-scored DeSales, 22-9, after scoring just 21 points in the entire first-half.
• Senior Averi Jordan opened the fourth quarter with a 3 to cut the margin in half and DeSales clamped down on the defensive end.
• Trailing by five at the 8:14 mark, DSU scored seven straight points to take a 49-47 lead on a three-point play from sophomore Lindsey Welsh.
• MU saw a prayer answered on the other end as a three-pointer heaved up at the end of the shot clock banked off the backboard and went in from about five feet outside the arc.
• The two teams traded baskets and the Cougars led by one (52-51) with 3:17 to go.
• Sophomore Mikaela Reese tied the game on a free throw after a few empty possessions for both teams and put the Bulldogs on top with a putback lay-up with 1:54 left.
• Two Cougar free throws tied the game for the fourth time but Welsh scored on a driving lay-up with 1:06 remaining giving DSU a 56-54 lead.
• A missed three by Misericordia saw a wild scramble for the rebound with the Cougars coming up with it but after a timeout, MU's guard fell into the lane while dribbling and Welsh tied her up with the arrow belonging to DeSales with 11 seconds left.
• DSU inbounded the ball to Jordan who 1-of-2 free throws and Misericordia, without any timeouts, dribbled the length of the court looking for a quick lay-up but it was off the mark as time expired and the Bulldogs escaped with the win.

Top Bulldog Performers

• Bealer led all scorers with 17 points and added four steals in the win.
• Jordan had another double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, her eighth of the year, and added five assists.
• Welsh also reached double digits with 13 points.
• Reese had eight points and pulled down 10 rebounds.

For the Foes

• MU saw just one player reach double figures, Melina Santacroce with 11 points and 13 rebounds.

Inside the Box Score

• DSU shot just 34.8 percent from the field, but forced MU into 33.3 percent for the game.
• DeSales narrowly won the rebound battle, 45-41, but scored 19 second chance points on 19 offensive rebounds.

Up Next

• DeSales will host the MAC Freedom title game taking on #2 seed Stevens on Sunday with tip set for 1:00 pm in Billera Hall.