Horizon League

#MotorCityMadness Quarterfinals #HLWBB Roundup: March 6

March 06

Rachel White

#HLWBB Bracket | Motor City Madness Central Page | Motor City Madness Stars of the Day
INDIANAPOLIS – Home teams prevailed on Wednesday in the #MotorCityMadness quarterfinals and second-seeded Green Bay and third-seeded Youngstown State punched their tickets to the 2019 Little Caesars Women’s Basketball Championship semifinals.

RESULTS

GAME	RECAP
No. 3 Youngstown State 64, No. 6 Milwaukee 58	Box Score
No. 2 Green Bay 73, No. 7 Cleveland State 30	Box Score

GAME RECAPS
No. 3 Youngstown State 64, No. 6 Milwaukee 58
Third-seeded Youngstown State advanced to the #MotorCityMadness Semifinals with a 64-58 win over sixth-seeded Milwaukee at the Beeghly Center on Wednesday evening. Sarah Cash led the Penguins with 15 points and 16 rebounds. Bre Cera was the leading scorer for the Panthers with 13.

A high-scoring first quarter of action saw the Penguins take a 20-17 lead, punctuated by a three-point field goal by Alison Smolinski at the buzzer. The second quarter turned the game into a tight, defensive battle as the Panthers outscored YSU 11-7 to take a 28-27 lead into the intermission.

The teams played to a tie in the third stanza, each posting 15 points, keeping the MKE advantage at one-point with ten minutes to play. At the 9:01 mark, a jumper by Megan Walstad pushed the Panthers’ lead to five, 47-42, forcing a YSU timeout.

Following the timeout, McKenah Peters delivered a three-point play for YSU, cutting the lead down to two points, before baskets by Mary Dunn and Cash gave the Penguins a 49-47 lead they would not surrender. YSU led just 60-57 with 54 seconds remaining, but a block from Chelsea Olson helped seal the victory for the Penguins, with the final score, 64-58.

Two Horizon League records were set in the contest with YSU’s Alison Smolinski setting the record for most three-pointers in a season (98) and Milwaukee totaling the most blocks in a season (163).

YSU advances to the 2019 Little Caesars Horizon League Women’s Basketball Championship semifinals on Monday at 3:30 p.m. ET. Milwaukee ends the year with a record of 15-15.

No. 3 Green Bay 73, No. 7 Cleveland State 30
The second-seeded Phoenix used an impressive defensive effort during Wednesday’s quarterfinal game to earn a 73-30 win over No. 7 seed Cleveland State and advance to the semifinals of the Little Caesars Horizon League Women’s Basketball Championship.

Green Bay held the Vikings to just 22 percent shooting from the field (12-55), including just one 3-pointer on 22 attempts from long range. CSU was held to single-digits in the final three quarters.
 
It was a tie game after the first 10 minutes of action as Mariah Miller and Rachel Slaney each chipped in four points in the first quarter to make the score 13-13. Green Bay turned it on in the second quarter, outscoring its opponent 15-2, as they began the quarter with back-to-back 3-pointers by Carly Mohns and Meghan Pingel.

The Phoenix were able to build up a comfortable lead in the second half thanks to shooting over 60 percent (17-28) from the floor including 7-of-14 from 3-point range. Frankie Wurtz led the way in the second half scoring all 14 of her points in the final 20 minutes of play on 4-of-6 shooting from 3-point range.

Madison Wolf finished the game with 11 points and six rebounds for the Phoenix, while Jen Wellnitz was Green Bay’s final double-digit scorer with 10 points.

Cleveland State was led by Mariah Miller with nine points and three rebounds and Slaney finished with eight points.
Green Bay will face No. 3 Youngstown State in a semifinal matchup on Monday Little Caesars Arena in Detroit at 3:30 p.m. ET

2019 MOTOR CITY MADNESS SCHEDULE

DATE	GAME	Time (ET)	TV/Live Stream
Monday, March 11	No.1 Wright State vs. No. 4 IUPUI	1 p.m.	ESPN+
	No. 2 Green Bay vs. No. 3 Youngstown State	3:30 p.m.	ESPN+
Tuesday, March 12	Championship	12 p.m.	ESPNU