JACKSON, Tenn. -- Megan Schmitz scored 22 points Wednesday
and Montana-Western held William Carey to seven points in the final
12 minutes of the game for a 67-51 victory in the first round of
the NAIA Division I women's basketball national championship.
Montana-Western (29-5), ranked eighth in the NAIA, used a 19-4
run to rally from a 27-18 deficit with six minutes left in the
half, to take a 37-31 halftime lead. Schmitz had three 3-pointers
during that run and Bobbi Suhr scored two baskets in the final
1:34.
Western opened the second half with an 8-2 run to take a 45-33
lead on a basket by Katherine Sunwall with 16:22 remaining.
A 3-pointer by Suhr put the Bulldogs up 52-38 with 13:37 to play
and another basket by Suhr gave Western a 56-44 lead with 12:01
remaining.
William Carey (14-10) scored only seven points the rest of the
way, all by Alberta Norman, who finished with 10 points.
Sunwall finished with 17 points and six rebounds while Suhr
added 12 points and five assists.
Amanda McGill, who made some early 3-pointers to help William
Carey to the early lead, finished with 14 points.
Montana-Western meets Oklahoma-Baptist (24-9) in Friday's second
round in a game scheduled to tip off at 8 a.m. Mountain time.