Center Valley, PA (February 22, 2023) - Junior Abigail Rafferty had 20 points and eight rebounds helping the #8/9th ranked DeSales University women's basketball team hold off a gritty Arcadia University effort in a a 64-54 win in the MAC Freedom Semifinals on Wednesday evening in Billera Hall.

The Basics

• Final Score: #8/9 DeSales - 64, Arcadia - 54
• Records: #8/9 DeSales (25-1 Overall); Arcadia (15-12 Overall)
• DeSales wins its ninth straight over Arcadia and improves to 24-1 all-time vs. the Knights.
• DSU earns its 25th win of the season for just the fourth time in team history.
• The Bulldogs are in the MAC Freedom Championship game for the 19th time in 26 career postseason appearances and will be looking for its 11th MAC Freedom Championship on Saturday.
• DeSales will host Stevens, who defeated Misericordia University in the other semifinal, on Saturday in the title game with tip set for 1:00 pm.
• Tonight's win also extends DSU's school-record home win streak to 40 straight.

How it Happened

• Playing the Knights for the third time this season and the second time in the last five days, the Knights were up to the challenge and looking to upset the top seeded Bulldogs.
• AU was on fire from outside the arc hitting 5 3's in the first-half countering every DeSales run to lead by one point (27-26) after 20 minutes of play.
• The Knights made just four baskets in the third quarter, but they were all 3's, as they trailed by just one with 5:01 to go in the third quarter.
• DeSales took control from there using an 8-0 run over the next three minutes to claim a 45-36 lead.
• Arcadia hit one more three before the end of the quarter to trail by six (47-41) after three quarters of play.
• It was a five-point game after another Knight triple at the 8:28 mark but the Bulldogs dominated the next five minutes using a 15-2 run to take a 64-46 lead with 3:11 remaining before the Knights got within 10 points scoring the final eight points of the game.

Top Bulldog Performers

• Rafferty was a very efficient 10-for-16 from the field and added eight rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks in the win.
• Junior Lindsey Welsh and senior Megan Bealer each added nine points in the win, with Welsh handing out a game-high six assists and Bealer totaling four steals.
• Junior Mikaela Reese had seven points and seven rebounds and junior Olivia Scotti was terrific off the bench with nine points.

For the Foes

• Delaney Bell finished with 15 points and nine rebounds for the Knights.
• Hanna Rhoades had 14 points, hitting four 3's.

Inside the Box Score

• DSU shot 43.1 percent from the field and out-rebounded Arcadia, 35-31.
• DeSales had a healthy 34-14 advantage on points in the paint.
• The Bulldogs took excellent care of the ball with just 10 turnovers and forced 23 Knight miscues.

Up Next

• Saturday's championship will be the rubber match between these two teams after splitting the regular season home-and-home series. DeSales and Stevens each sit at #2 and #3 in this week's NCAA Region IV Regional Rankings.