RIO GRANDE, OH — Indiana Wesleyan Women's Basketball defeated Cumberlands (Ky.) at Newt Oliver Arena. The Wildcats secured the victory with a strong overtime performance, outscoring the Patriots 18-11 in the extra period. With this win, IWU advances to face 2-seed Rio Grande (OH) in the Second Round of the NAIA National Tournament.

THE ESSENTIALS

• Location: Rio Grande, OH | Newt Oliver Arena
• Records: IWU: 18-13 | CUMB: 19-12
• Seed: IWU - 10 | CUMB - 7

FIRST QUARTER

• The Patriots initiated the scoring with a fast-break layup by Jaydyn Carrico at 9:05.
• The red and grey briefly tied it with a layup by Addi Hovey at 8:04, but Cumberlands quickly regained the lead.
• A 3-pointer by Joy Kendrick at 5:33 extended the Patriots advantage, contributing to its largest lead of eight points late in the quarter.
• Cumberlands led 17–9 at the end of the first quarter.

SECOND QUARTER

• Ayla Krygier sparked IWU's offense with a layup at 8:38 and followed with a 3-pointer at 7:59, cutting into the deficit.
• The Wildcats' defensive efforts included a block by Hovey at 2:19, preventing the Patriots from extending the lead.
• Ellie Kelleher's 3-pointer at 1:00 brought IWU within one point of the Patriots.
• The red and grey led 29–25 at halftime after outscoring Cumberlands 15–8 in the quarter.

• Indiana Wesleyan struggled with turnovers early, committing three within the first two minutes, which the Patriots capitalized on with defensive rebounds.
• At 6:23, Hovey scored a layup to regain a narrow lead at 31–30.
• Cumberlands responded with consistent free throw shooting, taking advantage of IWU's frequent fouls to stay competitive.
• The Patriots finished the quarter strong, hitting a 3-pointer at 1:03 to take a 42–41 lead, eventually leading 44–41 at the end of the period.

FOURTH QUARTER

• The Wildcats gained early momentum with Krygier's layup and subsequent 3-pointer, briefly taking the lead at 8:50.
• Cumberlands responded with a 5-point surge, highlighted by Kendrick's fast-break layup at 4:52 to regain the lead.
• The red and grey tied the game at 58 with Krygier's free throw at 1:12, setting up a tense final minute.
• The period ended with both teams locked at 58, setting the stage for a decisive final stretch.

OT

• IWU took an early lead after Krygier converted two free throws at 4:35.
• The Patriots briefly regained the lead with a 3-pointer from Kendrick at 4:22.
• Indiana Wesleyan responded with a layup from Krygier at 4:05, sparking a 7–0 run capped by an Emily Mattingly 3-pointer at 2:44.
• The Wildcats secured a 76–69 victory, finishing strong with a layup by Hovey at 0:23 followed by Myla Browning's free throw with 3 seconds left.

KEY WILDCATS

• Ayla Krygier: 30 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists
• Addi Hovey: 8 points, 7 rebounds
• Emily Mattingly: 10 points, 3 rebounds

• The Wildcats face 2-Seed Rio Grande (OH) for a chance to advance to Sioux City tomorrow at 7:00 PM.
• More information will be available at IWUWildcats.com after the selection show.

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