MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Southeastern's season came to a close Saturday in the Second Round of the NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship Montgomery Bracket as the Fire fell to Lindsey Wilson, 97–68.
Despite the loss, Southeastern caps the 2025–26 campaign with a 28–4 overall record, tying for the fourth-most wins in a single season in program history. The tournament appearance also included the program's first NAIA Tournament victory since 2022.
Southeastern started well in the opening minutes as the Fire briefly grabbed a 10–6 lead midway through the first quarter behind an early three-pointer from
Mya Herman and a strong start offensively. Lindsey Wilson responded quickly, however, closing the quarter with an 11–0 run over the final 1:37 to take a 27–16 lead after one.
The Blue Raiders continued to build momentum in the second quarter, stretching the lead to double digits early before taking a 50–33 advantage into halftime. Lindsey Wilson shot nearly 65 percent during the period and capitalized on several Southeastern turnovers to extend the margin.
Southeastern continued to compete after the break, led by
Grace Field, who delivered one of her best performances of the season. Field scored 15 of her points in the third quarter alone, helping the Fire keep pace offensively, but Lindsey Wilson still edged the period and carried a 71–52 lead into the final quarter.
In the fourth, the Blue Raiders maintained their efficiency on offense and steadily extended the lead, eventually pushing the margin to nearly 30 before closing out the 97–68 victory.
Field finished with a game-high 28 points on 12-of-21 shooting while adding six rebounds, four steals, and two blocks to lead the Fire. Herman added 16 points with three made three-pointers, while
Kristiana Kulackovska contributed 12 points and four assists.
As a team, Southeastern shot 48.2 percent from the floor and scored 42 points in the paint, but Lindsey Wilson countered with one of its most complete offensive efforts of the season. The Blue Raiders shot 55.6 percent overall and placed five players in double figures, led by Jarie Thomas with 23 points, Taylor Guess with 21, and Meadow Tisdale with 20.
Lindsey Wilson also held a significant edge on the glass, outrebounding Southeastern 40–23 and converting 16 offensive rebounds into 21 second-chance points.
While the national tournament run ended in Montgomery, the Fire's 2025–26 season will be remembered as one of the most successful in program history. Southeastern's 28 victories tied for the fourth-highest total ever recorded by the program and marked another strong postseason appearance for a team that returned to the national stage and secured its first NAIA Tournament win in four years.
