Defiance, Oh. — The Aquinas College women's basketball team closed out its regular season with authority Saturday, defeating Defiance Yellow Jackets 71-50. After a setback against Cornerstone Golden Eagles earlier in the week, the Saints bounced back with a complete performance and head into postseason play riding renewed momentum. Defiance briefly grabbed the early edge, but Aquinas quickly seized control and never relinquished it.
Aquinas 71, Defiance 50
The Yellow Jackets opened the scoring, but the Saints responded with a nine-point run to build a 9-2 advantage. After Defiance added a quick basket, Rhema Dozier buried a three-pointer while Paige Guernsey and Brynn Reams followed with layups to extend the lead to 16-4. Aquinas kept its foot on the gas, and McKenzie Munson drained a three-pointer to cap the first quarter with a 21-10 advantage.
Defiance struck first in the second quarter, but Emilynne Braue answered with a triple before Emily Cline and Madelyn Smith added quick baskets to push the lead to 26-13. The Yellow Jackets attempted to chip away, but a layup from Isabel Reemsnyder doubled the margin at 30-15. Dozier and Reams combined for four more points, and Smith closed the half with a layup to give AQ a commanding 41-20 lead at the break.
The second half opened slowly, with neither team scoring until the 7:36 mark when Defiance converted a layup to make it 41-22. The Yellow Jackets trimmed the deficit to 16, but three-pointers from Munson and Leah French restored a 20-point cushion at 52-32. French added another triple late in the quarter as Aquinas carried a 57-37 lead into the final period.
Reams opened the fourth quarter with a three-pointer to stretch the lead to 23 at 60-37. Clemmie Gadwood added a layup after checking in, but Defiance mounted a small run to cut the margin to 12. Nia Moncreif halted the push with a free throw, and Lauren Meerman contributed inside before Moncreif buried a late three to seal the 71-50 victory.
Coach's Comment
"We challenged our group to respond with energy and discipline, and they answered," said head coach Brian Morris. "We defended with purpose, shared the ball, and stayed composed when they made a push. This is the kind of complete effort we want heading into the postseason.
By the Numbers
Up Next
With the regular season complete, the Saints now turn their focus to postseason play, carrying confidence and momentum into the next stage of the schedule.
