Sage women's basketball clinches NCAA Tournament berth

CaptionCloseThe Sage women's basketball team clinched its second Division III NCAA Tournament berth in program history Saturday with a 72-66 victory over SUNY Old Westbury in the Skyline Conference Tournament championship game in Old Westbury.The Gators...

25 February 2017 Saturday 19:56
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Sage women's basketball clinches NCAA Tournament berth

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The Sage women's basketball team clinched its second Division III NCAA Tournament berth in program history Saturday with a 72-66 victory over SUNY Old Westbury in the Skyline Conference Tournament championship game in Old Westbury.

The Gators (20-8) exacted revenge on the Panthers (23-4), who beat Sage in last year's league title game.

Sage will find out its NCAA Tournament opponent during the Selection Show at 2:30 p.m. Monday.

Senior guard Frankie Pearson, a Hoosick Falls grad, was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player after scoring a career-high 27 points in the final. Pearson hit six 3-pointers and added three steals as well as six rebounds.

Behind Pearson, the Gators led 37-26 at halftime and then 49-43 to start the fourth quarter. But the Panthers rallied and grabbed a 52-49 lead with about eight minutes to play.

Pearson hit a key basket in the final minute and then made two free throws in the closing seconds to give Sage a 70-66 lead. Sophomore Macie Holmes, a Mekeel Christian grad, made two free throws with six seconds left to seal the win.

The Sage men's basketball team also played in its Skyline Tournament championship game Saturday but lost to Farmingdale State, 77-75.

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