Box Score Irving, TX – The Trinity University women's basketball team survived a late surge from McMurry University to earn a 65-64 victory in the semifinals of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament on Saturday afternoon.

The Tigers improved to 16-11 this season, while McMurry finished their season at an impressive 21-5. Trinity will now play for their fifth straight SCAC Championship and will feature in their 13th straight championship game, tomorrow against Texas Lutheran. They avenged their two regular season losses against the same opponent, while the all-time record now sits at 6-3 in favor of the War Hawks. 

Trinity secured the win behind a well-rounded effort, shooting 40.4% (23-57) from the field and 36.4% (8-22) from beyond the arc. Trinity controlled the glass with a 39-35 rebounding edge and moved the ball efficiently, recording 11 assists. Despite committing 16 turnovers, the Tigers' defense made key plays, forcing 12 McMurry turnovers and collecting eight steals. The game was decided in the closing moments, as Trinity shot 68.8% (11-16) from the free-throw line, including clutch shots down the stretch to seal the victory.

Josie Napoli (Beaverton, Ore. / Valley Catholic) led the Tigers with 23 points, hitting 7-of-14 from the field and 4-of-8 from beyond the arc. She also grabbed four rebounds, dished out four assists, and recorded two steals. 

Livy Sauvageau (Houston, Texas / Second Baptist) followed with 15 points, knocking down three three-pointers and adding two steals. Kylie Minter (League City, Texas / Clear Springs) finished with 12 points and led the team with nine rebounds. Elaine King (Cedar Park, Texas / Cedar Park) pulled down five boards and had two steals, while Bailey Timmons (Argyle, Texas / Argyle) added three rebounds and a steal to contribute defensively. Jailyn Martin (Ashburn, Va. / Virginia Academy) made a major impact off the bench in the second half, grabbing three offensive boards and adding four points down the stretch. 

The Rundown
Both teams traded baskets early on in the game as they looked to settle into this post-season matchup. Napoli opened the scoring for the Tigers with a pair of layups and a triple picking up their first eight points. Trinity started to gather some early momentum, as Sauvageau, Napoli and Minter each knocked down a triple creating a nine point lead in their favor. Skye O'Rourke (Austin, Texas / Vandegrift) added energy off the bench and extended the lead with a tough layup at the buzzer, giving Trinity the 20-9 advantage going into the second. 

McMurry started the quarter hot, hitting two jumpers from beyond the arc to bring the game within seven. Freshman Sauvageau converted a clutch three, continuing to impress in her first SCAC Championships. Trinity played hard on defense as half-time approached, grabbing some important rebounds to maintain their lead. Ivory Scott (Waco, Texas / Waco) knocked down a couple of free-throws with less than 30 seconds on the clock, securing a ten point lead for the Tigers at the half. 

Neither team was able to get much offensive rhythm going early in the second half, with just two field goals in the opening three and a half minutes. McMurry went on a 7-0 run to reduce the deficit before Minter converted in the paint to score Trinity's first points in almost five minutes. With the War Hawks bringing the game within two, the Tigers bench provided some much needed energy as Natalie Greenwood (Dallas, Texas / Byron Nelson) converted from an impressive pass by Napoli before O'Rourke came up with a steal and drew a foul on the other end. As the clock ticked under a minute, Martin grabbed a big offensive board and dished it tio Napoli who knocked it down for three, pushing the score to 45-39 to Trinity and setting up a cinematic final quarter. 

Trinity came out strong in the fourth, with a pair of jumpers from Martin and Minter extending their lead to eight. After some strong shooting from the line from McMurry, Sauvageau came up clutch once again, hitting a tough jumper over a War Hawk big and drawing a file. As the momentum seemed to start swinging towards Trinity, McMurry refused to lie down and answered with a 7-0 run to bring the score within a single point with less than six minutes to play. Trinity were without a field goal for over four minutes and just as it looked as though their offense couldn't find any answers, Sauvageau once again knocked down a massive three to maintain their lead. 

As the clock ticked below three minutes, just two points separated the teams with the game sitting on a knife's edge. Martin continued her relentless pressure at the glass, grabbing yet another offensive rebound from a missed Napoli free-throw and converting, extending Trinity's advantage to five with less than two minutes to play. Made free-throws from Minter and Napoli kept the War Hawks at bay in the closing stages, but just as the game seemed to be heading to a close, an offensive foul and a pair of three-point plays from McMurry gave them a 64-63 lead with just ten seconds to play, their first lead since the seventh minute. Trinity played relentlessly all game and were determined not to let their season end in such cruel circumstances. One player in particular was fueled by making sure this was not her final game in a Tiger jersey, up steps Josie Napoli. With single digits on the clock, Napoli took the ball in her hands and the team on her back, converting a contested layup with six seconds left and giving Trinity the one point lead. McMurry raced down the court in the last play of the game, searching for a winner but the Trinity defense stayed strong, as it had all game, to secure their place in the SCAC Championship game.
 
Coach Speak
Tony D'Amato said it best. Life is just a game of inches. Today, we looked at the player next to us, and we saw someone who would go that inch with us. We clawed, with our finger nails, for that inch. Cause we knew, finally, when we add up all of those inches, being THE TOGETHER TIGERS is gonna make the difference between winning and losing. They call it Any Given Sunday. I guess we will find out. ONWARD!

Up Next
Trinity will face Texas Lutheran in tomorrow's championship game, with tip-off set for 12:00pm in Irving. This is the first time in SCAC history that a #1 seed will not feature in the Championship game, with the #2 Bulldogs and the #3 Tigers looking to secure their place in the NCAA Playoffs and bring home the SCAC Championship.