SIOUX CITY, Iowa—Things started promising for the Southeastern women's basketball team in its second NAIA Division II Women's Basketball National Tournament.
Despite leading by seven after 10 minutes, the Fire ended the 2015-16 season with an 81-64 loss to second-seeded Davenport at the Tyson Events Center.
Southeastern finished its season with a 24-6 record.
The Panthers (28-5) got production from 10 different players, and held Sun Conference Player of the Year
Christin Strawbridge to just five second half points.
Strawbridge scored a game-high 25, with 20 coming in the first half. The junior was key to SEU's start, sinking 10 of her first 11 field goal attempts in the first half. Her basket with 43 seconds left in the first quarter gave SEU its largest lead of the night at eight.
"Our defense wasn't where it needed to be at the time," said Strawbridge of the second half. "We were working hard and trying hard, but it just wasn't enough in the second half."
A 16-6 run to start the second quarter tied the game at 29, but five straight points by Molly Babbs following a
Destynee Arnold basket put the Panthers up for good with 3:53 remaining in the second.
"We shot really well the first half, and kept pace with them," said interim head coach
Leann Dahlstein. "(Davenport) came in the second half and our defense wasn't top notch and they starting hitting a lot more."
Davenport outscored Southeastern 25-12 in the second 10 minutes to hold a 41-35 lead at the half.
The depth of the Panthers, ranked seventh in the final regular season Top 25 took its toll on the Fire, who were outscored 26-12 in the third, and trailed by as many as 25 during the second half, occurring with 1:03 left in the third.
"Our team as a whole enjoys a challenge and we've made a lot of history this year and done a lot of things our program has never done before, so any challenge is good and we're going to work hard this offseason, and next season to make it back here and be able to beat a team like that, said Strawbridge."
