Seton Hill returned to the NCAA Atlantic Regional for the first time in 15 years as they took on sixth seed Kutztown in the first round in the McComb Fieldhouse at Edinboro University on Friday afternoon.
The Griffins took a fifteen point halftime lead and were able hit big baskets down the stretch as they defeated Kutztown 89-75 in the first round of the NCAA Atlantic Regional. Seton Hill is now 24-6 on the season. The 24 wins are the most by a Griffin team since joining the NCAA.
The teams exchanged baskets in the early going as there were four ties over the first four minutes of the contest, the last at 9-9. SHU then went on a 7-0 run to take a 16-9 lead with three minutes to play.
Abby Mankins three gave SHU the lead with 3:45 left.
Hailee Ford followed with a three as SHU led 19-11 with three minutes left. Two Mankins free throws, a
Hallie Cowan layup and a put back from
Sakeria Haralson gave SHU a 25-17 lead after one quarter.
The Griffins scored the first five points of the second quarter as they extended their lead to 32-17. Three straight threes from the Griffins, one from Hallie and
Helene Cowan and the other from
Shaye Bailey pushed the lead to 43-26 with 1:40 to play. Two more Bailey free throws extended the lead to 45-26 but Kutztown scored the final four points of the half to cut the lead to 45-30.
Over the first five minutes of the third quarter, the Golden Bears went on a 16-9 run to trim the Griffins lead to 54-46 with 4:15 left in the quarter.
Mia Kalich ended the run with an important three point play. The Griffins pushed their lead back to ten at 61-54 before the Golden Bears hit a three pointer at the end of the quarter to trim the lead to 61-54.
The Griffins answered right back to open the fourth quarter with a 6-0 run as they built their lead to 67-54 with 8:06 left in the quarter. SHU got layups from Mankins and Haralson and two free throws from
Helene Cowan gave SHU the run. SHU was able to extend their lead to 76-64 with just over three minutes to play in regulation. Kutztown used a 5-0 run to trim the lead to 76-69 with 2:47 to play.
Helene Cowan hit two free throws to push the lead to 78-69 with 2:04 to play. Ford and Kalich hit baskets and then Kalich hit a pair of free throws as the Griffins pushed their lead to 84-72 with 36.2 to play. The Griffins were able to put the game away at the free throw line.
Kalich led the Griffins with 20 points. She added nine rebounds.
Helene Cowan added 18 points.
Hallie Cowan finished with 16 points. Ford was the third Griffin in double figures with 13 points.
The Griffins advance to Saturday's NCAA Atlantic Regional semifinal where they will meet the winner of the Gannon and Fayetteville State quarterfinals.
