The no. 4 ranked University of Minnesota Duluth women's basketball team advanced out of the first round of the NCAA Division II Central Region Championships in Romano Gymnasium on Friday evening. The Bulldogs defeated Southern Nazarene, 66-50. It was the Bulldogs first NCAA Tournament win since the 2020-21 season when they defeated Emporia State 76-70 in overtime.

UMD was led by recently crowned D2CCA Central Region Player of the Year, Brooke Olson, who finished the game with 32 points and 8 rebounds. 

UMD and Southern Nazarene tested each other out in the opening quarter, with the Crimson Storm leading the Bulldogs 14-13. UMD's Brooke Olson led the Bulldogs with 9 points and 3 rebounds. Southern Nazarene spread out the scoring with Emily Monaghan (4 points) and Georgia Adams (4 points) pacing the Crimson Storm.

Both teams continued to push the play back and forth during the second quarter following an early three from Bulldog Taya Hakamaki. The Crimson Storm managed to push the lead to five half way through the second quarter after a layup from Hannah Giddey. The Bulldogs would then go on a 6-0 (Olson landing all 6 points) run to take the lead with 2:00 minutes remaining in the second quarter. Cassandra Awatt continued to hit the boards (10 rebounds in the first half) for the Crimson Storm which helped them retake the lead with 1:00 minute remaining. However, UMD answered with back-to-back three pointers from Madelyn Granica and Maesyn Thiesen to send the Bulldogs into the locker room at halftime with a five point lead (30-25).  It was the Bulldogs by team in the third quarter as four different players started the scoring to give UMD a 42-26 lead with 5:26 minutes remaining. UMD continued to ramp it up on the defensive end to take the lead to 18 with just over 3:00 minutes left in quarter number three. Following a missed jumper from the Crimson Storm, Olson fired a three from straight away to further extend their lead. The third quarter ended with the Bulldogs in control, leading 54-37.

The Crimson Storm would make a run to start the fourth quarter to cut the lead to 10 with just under 6:00 minutes to play. UMD would steady the ship, as Olson continued her stellar play with back-to-back buckets. UMD would hold onto the lead the rest of the fourth quarter to walk away with a 66-50 win to advance to the regional semi-finals.

Olson led the Bulldogs, as she shot 15-22 from the field and ended with 32 points and 8 rebounds. UMD was followed by the only other Bulldog in double digits, Maesyn Thiesen with 10 points. UMD shot 50.9% from the field and 31.3% from deep. The Crimson Storm were led by Cassandra Awatt who recorded a double double with 17 points and 13 rebounds. 
 

NEXT UP FOR THE BULLDOGS
Next up for the Bulldogs is the semi-finals of the NCAA Division II Central Region Championships on Saturday. UMD will tip-off against the winner of Minnesota State and Central Missouri tomorrow at 7:30 pm in Duluth, MN at Romano Gymnasium.