Belmont Abbey and UNC Pembroke to Meet in Atlantic Casualty Conference Carolinas Women’s Basketball Championship Game for Second Straight Year
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SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Both of the semifinals of the 2024 Atlantic Casualty Conference Carolinas Women’s Basketball Championship were tight on Saturday evening.
UNC Pembroke needed a late run to top Barton, 63-56, before Belmont Abbey upset Francis Marion, 54-40.
Top seed UNC Pembroke needed a late run to fend off upset minded 10th-seeded Barton. The Bulldogs used a 9-0 spurt to take the lead in the final five minutes, but UNC Pembroke responded with a 9-2 run to regain the lead and take the 63-58 victory. Kalaya Hall led UNC Pembroke with 25 points on 11-for-15 shooting from the free throw line. Zaria Clark added 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Third-seed Belmont Abbey got off to a hot start, holding a 29-19 lead over second-seeded Francis Marion. Belmont Abbey held Francis Marion to a 25.8 field goal percentage while shooting 40.4 percent from the floor. Francis Marion pulled within 42-40 with 5:07 remaining, but Belmont Abbey held the Patriots scoreless for the remainder of the game, closing out the 54-40 win with a 12-0 run. Abigail Crain led Belmont Abbey with 19 points, going 7-for-11 from the field. Catherine Hendershott added 12 points while Peyton Nation chipped in with 14 points and six rebounds. Conference Carolinas Player of the Year Lauryn Taylor led Francis Marion with 12 points and 15 rebounds.
UNC Pembroke will face Belmont Abbey in Sunday’s championship contest at 4 p.m. at Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium.
The game is a rematch of last year’s Atlantic Casualty Conference Carolinas Women’s Basketball Championship final. UNC Pembroke claimed the 2023 trophy with a 56-46 victory over top-seeded Belmont Abbey inside Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium.
The tournament title last year was the sixth conference tournament crown for the Braves in women’s basketball program history, but their first as a member of NCAA Division II. Belmont Abbey will be looking for its seventh tournament title in the 2024 Atlantic Casualty Conference Carolinas Women’s Basketball Championship final.
2024 Atlantic Casualty Conference Carolinas Women’s Basketball Championship
First Round – Sunday, March 3 at #4-5-6 Seeds
#10 Barton 80, #9 Southern Wesleyan 50 (
Box Score)
#8 North Greenville 67, #11 Mount Olive 42 (
Box Score)
#7 Converse 66, #12 King 41 (
Box Score)
Second Round – Monday, March 4 at #4-5-6 Seeds
#10 Barton 70, #4 Chowan 61 (
Box Score)
#5 Emmanuel 69, #8 North Greenville 64 (
Box Score)
#6 Young Harris 71, #7 Converse 59 (
Box Score)
Quarterfinals – Friday, March 8 (at Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium – Spartanburg, S.C.)
#10 Barton 60, #5 Barton 53 (
Box Score)
#3 Belmont Abbey 60, #6 Young Harris 48 (
Box Score)
Semifinals – Saturday, March 9 (at Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium – Spartanburg, S.C.)
#1 UNC Pembroke 63, #10 Barton 56 (
Box Score)
#3 Belmont Abbey 54, #2 Francis Marion 40 (
Box Score)
Final – Sunday, March 10 (at Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium – Spartanburg, S.C.)
#1 UNC Pembroke vs. #3 Belmont Abbey, 4 p.m.