The Emory women’s basketball team suffered a close loss in the first round of the NCAA Division III women’s basketball championship. No. 5 Trine University (Ind.) defeated Emory by 57-54 on March 1st.
Emory held a 4-point lead at the half, but the Thunder battled back to take a 55-52 lead with 10 seconds remaining in the game. In an attempt to tie the game, junior forward Erin Lindahl shot a 3-pointer, but the attempt rolled around the rim and fell into Trine’s possession.
Although missed free throws from Trine tossed a chance to the Eagles, Emory failed again to convert the game’s winning shot. After the loss, the Eagles fell to a 6-4 postseason record.
Despite the loss, the Eagles remained competitive during the battle against Trine. Senior center Ashley Oldshue led the game in both scoring and rebounding, recording a stellar 24 points and 12 rebounds in her final game as an Eagle. Lindahl posted nine points and five rebounds while senior guard Azzairia Jackson-Sherrod finished with just four points but grabbed a season-high 10 rebounds.
Freshman guard Kennedy Cater acknowledged that Emory had a successful season.
“Making the NCAA tournament was a huge accomplishment for this program,” Cater said. “Even though the season didn’t end how we wanted it to, we are proud of our achievements throughout this season, and we learned how much we are capable of.”
Though Emory lost early on in the championship, the team recorded a remarkable season under second-year Head Coach Misha Jackson. The Eagles finished with a 19-7 overall record, their highest since the 2012-13 season.
Trine faces No. 1 Thomas More University (Ky.) in the second round of the NCAA tournament on March 9 at 6:30 p.m.
