March 13, 2007

SIOUX CITY, Iowa - In the lowest scoring game in tournament history, Indiana Wesleyan defeated the College of the Ozarks, 48-34, in the title game of the 16^th annual NAIA Division II Women's Basketball National Championship at the Tyson Events Center/Gateway Arena in Sioux City, Iowa. With the win the Wildcats finish the season a perfect 38-0.

Indiana Wesleyan is the first team in NAIA Division II to finish as season undefeated. The win in the championship also gave the sole possession of the NAIA record for most wins in a season. The previous mark was 37 held by Claflin (S.C.) in 1987-88.

 

Throughout the first half the teams traded the lead or were tied on 10 different occasions. In fact, Ozarks (34-3) opened up a five-point advantage with 6:12 left in the opening frame on a pair of free throws by Janessa DeMuth. But the Wildcats pulled were able to take a one-point lead, 22-21, into the lockerroom at half thanks to a coast-to-coast layup by Liz Howerth as time expired.

After scoring 98 points in a semifinal win Cedarville one night earlier, Indiana Wesleyan went to what they did best all year in the championship game; defense. The Wildcats held Ozarks to just 34 points, the lowest point output of the season by more than 30, and 30.2 percent shooting from the field.

 

In the second half the Wildcats scored on three of their first four possessions to build a 29-21 lead. Ozarks on the other hand struggled to find any offensive consistency, scoring just eight points in the first 15 minutes of the second half.

 

Ozarks did make one final push, getting to within 10 with 1:34 left in the game on a bucket by Lindsy Murray.  DeMuth had a chance to cut the lead to single digits after a steal on the ensuing possession but the layup went awry, with the rebound going to the Wildcats' Brooke Amstutz who hit both free throws to seal the win.

 

Scoring wise for Indiana Wesleyan it was All-American and tournament most valuable player Liz Howerth who led the way, finishing with a double double (25 points, 12 rebounds). Howerth finishes her tournament career as the fifth leading scorer (239 points) and tenth leading rebounder (98 rebounds) in tournament history. Other scorers for the Wildcats were Sarah McGill and Amstutz with six each.

The Bobcats finish as the national runner-up for the second consecutive season and were led in scoring by Rebekah Howard with 15 and Janessa DeMuth, who was named to the first-team all-tournament squad, with 11.

 

The Wildcats journey through the tournament included wins over Saint Joseph (Vt.), Tabor (Kan.), defending champion Hastings (Neb.) and Cedarville (Ohio.)

For more information on the NAIA Division II Women's Basketball National Championship, including complete tournament statistcal leaders, log on to www.naia.org.