Crusaders defeat Wolf Pack 69-61 in SSAC semifinals

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Fourth-seeded William Carey never trailed Friday in a 69-61 upset of top-seeded Loyola University New Orleans in the women's basketball semifinals of the Southern States Athletic Conference Championship tournament.
 

The Lady Crusaders (23-5, ranked 25th in the NAIA) will play for the title against third-seeded Tennessee Southern, an 81-67 semifinal winner against second-seeded Faulkner, at 4 p.m. CST Saturday at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl. That winner will earn the SSAC's other automatic bid to NAIA nationals, which will begin March 13. 
 

Loyola (24-4, ranked 16th) earned the SSAC's first automatic bid by winning the regular-season championship. The Wolf Pack women will learn their next opponent and venue in a 7 p.m. Thursday NAIA broadcast on YouTube. 
 

Three-pointers by Leah Sutton and Bailey Devall gave Carey a 14-5 lead in the seventh minute. SeQuoia Carroll's 3-point play for Loyola at 7:40 of the second quarter tied the score at 21, but Madelyn Ladner's jumper at 6:23 put Carey ahead to stay, 23-21. The Lady Crusaders led 32-24 at halftime and 49-43 through three quarters.
 

Caitlin Travis' 3-pointer with 5:58 remaining cut Carey's lead to 55-53, but the Lady Crusaders scored the next seven points and led 69-58 after Brooklyn Cuevas made 2-of-3 free throws with 16 seconds remaining.
 

Travis led Loyola with a season-high 20 points. Alissa O'Dell had 11 points and 10 rebounds — her 11th double-double this season — and Deniya Thornton and Carroll scored eight points apiece.
 

Cuevas scored 13 points, and Ladner and Jenna Garriga had 10 points apiece for Carey. The Lady Crusaders played without season scoring and rebounding leader Shaneal Corpuz, who was injured.

Pack Facts

• Alissa O'Dell averaged 14.3 rebounds in four SSAC tourney games over the last two seasons.

• The Wolf Pack women qualified for the SSAC tourney in all 16 seasons of membership and are 30-9 in the event — 27-5 over the last 12 seasons. 

• Loyola was eliminated in the SSAC semifinals for the second consecutive season. The Wolf Pack won the tournament in 2024, 2022, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2016 and 2015, all under current head coach Kellie Kennedy.

• The Wolf Pack women qualified for NAIA nationals for the 12th consecutive season and the 17th time overall, all in the last 22 seasons. 

• It's the second consecutive season that neither of SSAC's top two seeds reached the championship game.
 

Tournament Schedule

Wednesday, Feb. 25
Game 1 | #10 Abraham Baldwin def. #7 Thomas, 70-66
Game 2 | #9 Mobile def. #8 Brewton-Parker 90-71

Thursday, Feb. 26
Game 3 | #3 Tennessee Southern def. #6 Blue Mountain Christian 75-72, 2 OT
Game 4 | #2 Faulkner def. #10 Abraham Baldwin 76-62    
Game 5 | #1 Loyola def. #9 Mobile 72-54
Game 6 | #4 William Carey def. #5 Life 55-49, OT

Friday, Feb. 27 
Game 7 | #3 Tennessee Southern def. #2 Faulkner 81-67
Game 8 | #4 William Carey def. #1 Loyola 69-61    

Saturday, Feb. 28 
Championship    | 4 p.m. | #3 Tennessee Southern vs. #4 William Carey
 

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