Center Valley, PA (February 24, 2024) - The #18 DeSales University women's basketball team held Arcadia University to just 25.6 percent from the field as the defense carried the Bulldogs to a 73-45 win over Arcadia winning its sixth straight MAC Freedom Championship on Saturday afternoon in Billera Hall.

The Basics

• Final Score: #18 DeSales - 73, Arcadia - 45
• Records: #18 DeSales (25-2 overall); Arcadia (22-5 overall)
• DeSales wins its sixth straight and 12th MAC Freedom Championship in 27 career appearances in the MAC Freedom postseason tournament.
• The Bulldogs earn the conference's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament with the field set to be announced on Monday afternoon.
• DSU extends its season-long win streak to 18 straight and have now won nine straight games at home.
• DeSales extends its win streak over the Knights to 12-straight and are now 27-1 all-time vs. Arcadia.

How it Happened

• The Bulldogs defense was simply dominant in the first-half as they held Arcadia to just 13 points and just three field goals.
• DSU shot 48.1 percent from the field itself building a 30-13 halftime lead.
• AU caught fire in the third quarter hitting 6-of-8 from outside the arc, accounting for all of its made field goals in the quarter.
• DeSales, however, had the answer out-scoring the Knights 29-24 in the quarter to extend its lead to 22 points.
• The defense regained its dominance in the fourth, holding AU to just eight points as the Bulldogs cruised home for its sixth consecutive title.

Top Bulldog Performers

• Senior Megan Bealer earned Tournament Most Valuable Player honors totaling eight points and and averaging 14.5 points in the two postseason games.
• Senior Mikaela Reese returned to the starting lineup and dominated the paint with 19 points, seven rebounds, and seven blocked shots.
• Senior Lindsey Welsh added 12 points and had four steals.
• Senior Olivia Scotti pulled down a game-high nine rebounds and fellow senior Amelia Saunders had eight points and five assists off the bench.
• Sophomore Mikaili Donmoyer had nine points and three assists.

For the Foes

• Scarlett Glasser-Nehls had 23 points to lead all scorers.
• Hanna Rhoades finished with 11 points.

Inside the Box Score

• DeSales finished the game shooting 45.6 percent from the field, holding AU to just 25.6 percent shooting.
• The Bulldogs dominated the paint out-scoring the Knights 34-6 in the lane.
• The DSU bench out-scored AU's, 20-2.