Ann Arbor, Mich. — The Aquinas College women's basketball program made way for Ann Arbor (Feb. 24) to take on Concordia for the final game of the regular season. This contest was a game of back and forth, with both teams outdoing one another to take the lead. This energetic game did not see a result in regulation and required overtime. But the Cardinals put their stamp on the overtime period to collar the Saints, 79-75.

This game stamps AQ's regular season with a standing of 12-16 (9-13), and the Cardinals continue to fly to a 19-9 (17-5) overall.

Concordia 79, Aquinas 75

This was the second time these two teams took the court with one another this season. The first meeting (Jan. 10) saw Concordia take the win by a four-point margin (71-67). With that, and knowing this was the final game of the regular season, both teams were prepared to attack the contest head-on.

The first period saw just that. After the horn sounded, the Cardinals were above the Saints by just a single point (17-16). Saints leader Alona Blackwell was locked in with eight of the points, Brynn Reams tapped in with four, while Claire Gregwer and Paige Guernsey tallied a bucket. 

After a short break, the contest continued with the second quarter. This time AQ was on top, outscoring the Cardinals by three. Giving a standing of 33-31 as both teams made way for the locker rooms. For points, Blackwell found seven, Gregwer notched four, while Jenna Daschke and Ashlyn Wilkes both collected a three-point basket.

This seesaw of a contest continued as CUAA pulled over Aquinas in the third, scoring 21-18, bringing the game to a single-digit differential to the Cardinals (52-51). This time Ciara Hardy was the top dog with seven points, Wilkes collected five, Blackwell tagged four, and Guernsey had two.

The Saints were narrowly down but not out. In the fourth, Blackwell came back swinging with nine points, Gregwer, Hardy, Guernsey, Daschke, and Reams all found two points. AQ just topped CUAA 19-18, making the final score 70-70 at the end of regulation. Bringing this conference thriller down to overtime.

The Cardinals had collared the Saints earlier, and here they added the lock and key as they took control of the overtime period. CUAA managed nine and only allowed the AQ five. As the horn sounded the Cardinals had survived the jaws of defeat by Aquinas. The contest concluded 79-75.

By the Numbers

Blackwell continued her point dominance with 28. Wilkes and Gregwer were in the double digits with 10 points each. Hardy was just behind with nine. Guernsey tagged in with seven. While Daschke finished with five.

AQ managed 11 points off of turnovers to CUAA's eight. 

Aquinas proved they can play at the rim as 46 of their 75 points were scored "in the paint", while Concordia had 22. 

Up Next

AQ has finalized their regular season play. Aquinas will take the eighth-place seed in the WHAC Tournament and play #1-seeded Indiana Tech for the WHAC Quarterfinals. The contest will happen on Wednesday (Feb. 28). Some details are still to be finalized; please stay tuned for more information.