Posted: Mar 13, 2021
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- For the first time in program history, Colorado College will play for the SCAC Women’s Basketball Championship as the Tigers led wire to wire and defeated Texas Lutheran, 70-56, in Saturday’s semifinal of the 2021 Basketball Tournament in Reid Arena. Official Tournament Website
Colorado College led by as many as 25-points in the opening half and SCAC Player-of-the-Year McKenzee Gertz scored 16 points to lead three Tigers in double figures to vault CC into next weekend’s championship game.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Colorado College raced out to a 24-7 lead in the first quarter, limiting TLU to just 3-for-15 from the field, including 0-for-3 from beyond the arc. The Tigers connected on 56.3 percent (9-16) in the opening 10 minutes.
- Tedy Reed hit a three with 1:25 left in the opening half to give CC a 25-point lead, its largest lead of the night, before eventually carrying a 23-point cushion into the break. Defensively Colorado College held Texas Lutheran to just 17.2 percent from the field in the first half.
- Texas Lutheran fought back in the second half, cutting the Tigers’ lead to 10 on two different occasions. The first time with 2:47 left in the third quarter and then again with 3:21 left in the game but could never get within single digits as the Tigers responded with 6-0 runs on each occasion and eventually winning by 16.
- Colorado College held a 38-28 advantage on the glass and an 8-7 edge in second chance points.
- The Tiger bench outscored the Bulldog bench, 19-7, and Colorado College led TLU in fast break points, 22-8.
COLORADO COLLEGE STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- McKenzee Gertz: 16 points, six rebounds, two steals, one assist
- Abby Walz: 13 points, three assists, two steals, two rebounds
- Talia Cloud: 10 points, three rebounds, one block, one steal
- Anna Fanelli: 11 rebounds, seven assists, seven points
TEXAS LUTHERAN STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Jayla Santa Maria: 20 points, two rebounds, one assist
- Morgan Rodriguez: 17 points, two steals, three rebounds
- Abby Hroch: six points, six rebounds, one block
NOTABLES
- Saturday marked the first meeting between Colorado College and Texas Lutheran in the SCAC Tournament. It was the first time since Schreiner and Southwestern met in 2015 that two teams have faced each other for the first time in tournament history in the semifinal round.
- Appearing in its third semifinal since 2018, Colorado College improves to 1-3 all-time in SCAC semifinal games, losing its previous three contests (2019, 2018, 2008).
- Making its third-straight semifinal appearance, Texas Lutheran falls to 3-4 all-time in SCAC semifinals.
- Colorado College is just the third No. 2 seed in the last seven tournaments to advance to the SCAC Championship game.
- With the win Colorado College will make its SCAC Tournament Championship game debut. In the history of the SCAC Tournament, teams that have reached the tournament final for the first time in program history are 3-7.
- Texas Lutheran ends its season at 5-4.
UP NEXT
Colorado College (7-2) advances to take on the winner of Sunday's No. 1 Trinity and No. 5 Austin College women's second semifinal in next weekend's conference championship final. If Austin College pulls the upset, next weekend's game will be at Colorado College. If Trinity wins, the game would be played in San Antonio. Next weekend's women's championship game date and time will be announced by Monday.
Colorado College (7-2) advances to take on the winner of Sunday's No. 1 Trinity and No. 5 Austin College women's second semifinal in next weekend's conference championship final. If Austin College pulls the upset, next weekend's game will be at Colorado College. If Trinity wins, the game would be played in San Antonio. Next weekend's women's championship game date and time will be announced by Monday.
