COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Azusa Pacific's magical postseason run came to an end in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Elite Eight, as the No. 6-seeded Cougars fell to No. 3-seeded Indiana (Pa.) Tuesday afternoon at Alumni Hall on the campus of host Ohio Dominican University.
The Cougars won all three of their regional playoff games by a combined seven points, coming from behind to win all three, and they appeared to have the same formula for an Elite Eight upset after opening the second half with 10 straight points to erase a 37-27 halftime deficit. However, IUP drilled five three-pointers over the final 5:18 of the quarter, regaining control of the contest with a 17-4 run over the rest of the third quarter to take a 54-41 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
The closest Azusa Pacific got the rest of the way was seven points, scoring six straight to start the fourth quarter and cut the lead to 54-47 before Lexi Griggs converted a three-point play with 6:39 left to push the lead into double figures the rest of the way.
Four players scored in double figures for the Cougars, with Daylee Hanson scoring a team-high 14 points, while Rachel Bozlee added 13 points, Savanna Hanson scored 12, and Laura Pranger finished with 11.
Azusa Pacific's third NCAA Division II Tournament appearance resulted in the Cougars' deepest tournament run in five seasons as an active member of Division II. The Cougars finished with a 28-6 overall record, while Indiana (Pa.) improved to 30-3.
How It Happened: Azusa Pacific shot just 35 percent (23-for-65) from the field and committed 17 turnovers in the defeat, although the Cougars battled back from a 10-point halftime deficit to tie the game midway through the third quarter.
In the first quarter, the Cougars were 4-for-18 (22 percent) from the field, and IUP opened up a seven-point lead late in the period when Azusa Pacific went scoreless for nearly four minutes until a Laura Pranger layup in the final minute of the quarter cut the lead to 14-9. Both offenses warmed up in the second quarter, combining for 41 points as both teams hit 50 percent from the field in the quarter.
The 10-point halftime lead for Indiana (Pa.) completely dissipated in the first 4:18 after halftime, as Savanna Hanson scored six of the first 10 points of the second half. Her short jumper with 5:42 left in the third quarter tied the game at 37-37, but IUP rebuilt the lead to 54-41 by closing out the quarter with a 17-4 run. Courtney Alexander and Lauren Wolosik each hit two three-pointers for the Crimson Hawks during the run.
The margin never got closer than seven points in the fourth quarter, and Indiana (Pa.) was a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter to put the game away.
Turning Point: The Cougars turned a double-digit halftime deficit into a tie game less than five minutes into the third quarter as Azusa Pacific's defense forced three turnovers and held Indiana (Pa.) to 0-for-7 shooting in the first 4:18 of the third quarter. Savanna Hanson scored six of the Cougars' 10 points during the run, including a game-tying jumper in the paint with 5:42 left in the third quarter.
She answered a Lauren Wolosik three-pointer with another layup that cut the Crimson Hawks' lead to 40-39, but the Cougars endured another scoreless stretch which lasted four minutes, snapped by a Samantha Huddleston layup in the final minute of the third quarter. In the meantime, Indiana (Pa.) found its long-range shooting stroke, burying four more threes in the quarter to take a 54-41 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Azusa Pacific Standouts: Savanna Hanson finished with 12 points along with team-highs of nine rebounds and four assists, while Daylee Hanson led the Cougars in scoring with 14 points and added seven rebounds and two assists with a block and a steal. Rachel Bozlee added 13 points, hitting 3-of-8 from three-point range, and Laura Pranger tallied 11 points, five rebounds, and three blocks. Cierra Roufosse added six points and eight rebounds with a pair of steals.
Indiana (Pa.) Standouts: Carolyn Appleby scored a game-high 17 points to lead the Crimson Hawks, while Lauren Wolosik and Lexi Griggs added 16 points each. However, the player with the biggest impact at both ends of the floor for both teams was Brittany Robinson, who scored 11 points and posted game-highs of nine rebounds, six blocks, and four steals. Courtney Alexander came off the bench to score nine points, hitting three-of-four from long range in her 22 minutes of action.
By The Numbers: Azusa Pacific produced a 44-37 edge in rebounds, its first positive rebounding margin of the NCAA Tournament this year… That led to a 16-7 edge in second chance points, and the Cougars also recorded advantages in points off turnovers (19-14) and points in the paint (36-30)… The Cougars recorded four blocks and six steals, its lowest combined total since the sixth game of the season and its third-lowest total all year… Indiana (Pa.) held Azusa Pacific to its lowest first-half scoring all year, surrendering just 27 points while the Cougars shot 34 percent (11-for-32) from the field in the first 20 minutes… IUP registered a 15-4 advantage in fast break points… Daylee Hanson averaged a team-high 14.5 points with 7.0 rebounds per game in NCAA Tournament play, and she shot 84 percent (26-for-31) from the free throw line in four tournament contests… Savanna Hanson was the Cougars' leading rebounder in tournament play, averaging 8.8 boards per game… Laura Pranger wrapped up the tournament with a total of 19 blocks in four games… Rachel Bozlee made 3-of-8 three-pointers to finish the season with 104 three-pointers, the second-highest single-season total in program history.
What's Next: The Cougars' 2018-19 season comes to an end with a 28-6 overall record, matching the program's highest season win total since 2011, when Azusa Pacific went 33-5 and claimed the NAIA national championship. The NCAA Division II Women's Basketball National Championship continues Wednesday, with Indiana (Pa.) advancing to a semifinal matchup with No. 2-seed Southwestern Oklahoma State.
Postgame Press Conference: Head Coach T.J. Hardeman with Rachel Bozlee and Daylee Hanson
