Center Valley, PA (March 3, 2023) - Senior Megan Bealer scored a career-high 27 points leading the #8 DeSales University women's basketball team past Mitchell College, 78-60, in the opening round of the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament on Friday evening in Billera Hall.

The Basics

• Final Score: #8 DeSales - 78, Mitchell - 60
• Records: #8 DeSales (27-1 Overall); Mitchell (18-10)
• The Bulldogs advance to the NCAA Second Round where it will host the University of Mary Washington on Saturday evening in Billera Hall at 7:00 pm after UMW defeated Roger Williams College in the other first round matchup on Friday evening.
• DSU is now 9-15 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
• DeSales ties the all-time record for wins in a season with 27 equaling the total in 1989 and 2019.
• The win also extends the Bulldogs school-record home win streak to 42 straight games.

How it Happened

• The Bulldogs jumped all over the Mariners opening up a 20-3 lead over the 8:12 of the game before Mitchell finished the first quarter on a 6-0 run as DeSales led 22-11 after one quarter of play.
• Mitchell pulled to within single digits (26-17) early in the second quarter before a 10-2 run pushed the margin back to 17 points and the Bulldogs led by 18 (43-25) at the halftime break.
• The Mariners showed no quit in the third quarter using a 9-0 run near the end of the quarter to get within eight points before the two teams traded baskets to end the stanza with DeSales leading by 10 (54-44).
• It was back-and-forth to start the fourth quarter with DeSales leading by nine points at the 7:31 mark.
• The Bulldogs put the game away from that point forward using a 10-0 run over the next four minutes to lead 70-51 as the lead peaked at 22 points before the final tally was posted.

Top Bulldog Performers

• Bealer posted her career-high 27 points on 9-of-17 shooting and was an efficient 8-for-10 from the charity stripe. She added five rebounds, a career-high tying seven assists, and a career-high nine steals, tied for the third most in a single-game in team history.
• Junior Mikaela Reese finished with 15 points and added seven rebounds and four steals in the win.
• Junior Abigail Rafferty was a rebound shy of a double-double totaling 14 points and nine boards, adding a season-high five blocks.
• Junior Amelia Saunders had 12 points, six rebounds, and five rebounds and senior Maria Newsome played an excellent floor game with five assists and just one turnover.

For the Foes

• Amina Wiley was outstanding in the loss recording a double-double with 25 points and 13 rebounds.
• Dede Stevenson added 12 points as the only other double digit scorer.

Inside the Box Score

• DSU forced 31 Mariner turnovers and scored 29 points off those turnovers.
• Mitchell became the first team all season to score 60 points on the Bulldogs and shot 49.0 percent from the field.
• MC out-rebounded DSU, 37-32.
• DeSales had 23 assists on 30 made baskets and committed just 13 turnovers.

Up Next

• Game time for tomorrow's second round game vs. Mary Washington is at 7:00 pm with the winner advancing to next weekend's "Sweet 16".