Women’s Top 25: Bowling Green advances
With one starter sick and another hobbled, the Bowling Green Falcons weren’t at their best.
They advanced anyway, reaching their fourth straight Mid-American Conference tournament final with a 71-57 win against Eastern Michigan on Friday in Cleveland.
Things might get tougher for the No. 20 Falcons, who could be without Liz Honegger and have just eight players in uniform for the championship today.
Top-seeded Bowling Green (28-3) will face Ball State, which beat Northern Illinois 83-72 in the other semifinal.
“The great news is we’re the underdog,” Falcons coach Curt Miller said.
“We haven’t been the underdog for a long time.”
Carin Horne, who was ill on the bench, led Bowling Green with 18 points as the Falcons struggled through another tough tourney performance.
(22) Wisconsin-Green Bay 84, Wisconsin-Milwaukee 79 (OT): At Green Bay, Wis., Natalie Berglin scored 21 points, Nicole Soulis added 19 and the Phoenix (27-3) defeated the Panthers (15-16) in a Horizon League tournament semifinal.
The Phoenix, who went undefeated in league play this season, opened overtime on a 7-2 run and never trailed in the extra period in extending their winning streak to 24 games.
Big Sky Conference
Northern Arizona 64, (25) Montana 59: At Missoula, Alyssa Wahl scored 20 points, and Kim Winkfield had seven points in the final 1:38 to help the Lumberjacks (20-11) defeat the Grizzlies (27-3) in the conference tournament semifinals.
Idaho State 72, Weber State 63: Also at Missoula, Natalie Doma scored 21 points, grabbed 18 rebounds and blocked five shots as the Bengals (16-13) rallied to beat the Wildcats (17-14).
Western Athletic Conference
Boise State 68, Fresno State 59: At Las Cruces, New Mexico, Jessica Thompson scored 22 of her 24 points in the second half to lead the Broncos (23-8) past the Bulldogs (13-17) to earn a trip to the conference title game.
New Mexico State 73, Nevada 62: Also at Las Cruces, Sherell Neal scored 18 points and gathered 16 rebounds and Anikia Jawara scored 15 and pulled down 11 boards to lead the Aggies (13-17) to a victory over the Wolf Pack (17-14).