(Ann Arbor, MI) – Concordia women's basketball celebrated Senior Day on Saturday afternoon as they concluded the regular season against UM-Dearborn. The Cardinals celebrated their two seniors, Averi Bebble and Stephanie Abraham, as they looked to pick up one more win. UM-Dearborn came in looking to pull off the upset, but another CUAA fourth-quarter rally led to a 75-68 win.
Alize Tripp led the team with 19 points. Taylor Leatherman finished second with 11 points. Keirslynn Lawless and Izzy Viau tied for third with 8 points apiece. Lawless and Taylor Leatherman tied for a team-high 7 rebounds.
Keirslynn Lawless opened scoring with a layup. Senior Stephanie Abraham knocked down a jumpshot and Taylor Leatherman drove for a layup. Asaria Turman and Zaria Mitchner drained free throws, but the lead continued to shift between the teams. After a layup from Keirslynn Lawless and a triple from Mitchner the game was tied 15-15 after the first quarter.
Mackenzie Howe scored in the paint to start a 7-0 run in the second quarter. Stephanie Abraham made a layup and Taylor Leatherman drilled a triple. Alize Tripp added a 3-pointer and Abraham scored again, but UM-Dearborn rallied to make the game closer. Free throws from Zaria Mitchner and a layup from Keirslynn Lawless put CUAA ahead 31-26 at halftime.
Taylor Leatherman had Concordia's first third-quarter basket with a layup. Alize Tripp drained free throws and Keirslynn Lawless made an offensive putback. Samantha Dorn drove for a layup and Izzy Viau knocked down a triple. Asaria Turman scored through two defenders, but UM-Dearborn went up by 8 points with 23 seconds left. Free throws from Izzy Viau cut the deficit to 53-47 after the third.
Alize Tripp drained a triple to start the fourth quarter. Taylor Leatherman scored after a long pass from Tripp and Asaria Turman powered inside for a basket. Leatherman made a go-ahead basket and the Cardinals extended their lead with a 3-pointer from Alize Tripp and an "and-1" from Samantha Dorn. Izzy Viau added a triple down the stretch and free throws from Tripp helped to secure the 75-68 win.
Concordia will now enter the WHAC playoffs as the #4 seed and host Lawrence Tech on Tuesday night.
