Historic Hinkle Fieldhouse Welcomes WBIT FINALIST

story by: Steven Stremming, Excel H Sports/USBWA

  In a match of a Big East team, Villanova Wildcats and the Missouri Valley’s Belmont Bruins it came down to a late fourth quarter run by Belmont that catapulted them on to Wednesday’s WBIT Championship game.

   In a return for Head Coach Denise Dillon’s Villanova team, that were the 2024 WBIT Runner-Up, went toe to toe with the Bruins in the first half of the game.

   The first quarter alone, Villanova shot 44.4% percent from the floor and an exact number from behind the arc, Belmont shot 40% percent for the quarter but was only one for four from behind the arc.

     The second quarter saw quite a tussle as both teams shooting cooled off, Villanova was five out of fifteen from the floor and hit only one three-point shot. Belmont hit hard times as well, as they connected on four of seventeen shots.

      Going into the half Nova led Belmont 31 to 29.

      After a early miss by Villanova in the third quarter. Belmont opened up a slight lead after hitting nine of eighteen shots in the quarter.

       The fourth quarter belonged to the Bruins as they shot better from the floor than Villanova and claimed the victory 66 to 57.

      Belmont outscored Villanova 14 to six on points from turnovers and fast break points five to two.

      Villanova claimed the paint with 30 points to 24 from the Bruins.

       For the game, Jailyn Banks, Spring Hill, Tennessee Sophomore was the game leader with her 25 points.

       Plainfield, Illinois graduate student, Kendall Holmes added 14 followed by Tampa, Florida, Senior with eleven points and ten boards and Troy, Alabama’s Tuti Jones ten points.

       Villanova was led by Bridgeville, Pennsylvania, Sophomore’s, Maddie Webber, 18, Milton, Ontario, Freshman Jasmine Bascoe’s ten.

       Belmont moves on to the championship game against the B1G Ten’s Minnesota Golden Gophers.

written by: Steven Stremming, Excel H Sports/USBWA

   The Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Florida Gators were in an intense battle in the first quarter after back-and-forth baskets the spread at the first quarter break was a single point 16 to 15, Minnesota’s lead.

    The Gophers cooled off a tad in the second quarter from their first quarter efforts as they hit seven of seventeen shots and three of seven from deep and the Gators making six of eighteen from the floor but one out of six from three-point range.

     Results at the half Minnesota 37 Florida 29.

     The second half saw the Gators not being able to find the 6’6, Marion, Indiana product, Ra’Shya Kyle in the paint and settled for several individual plays that saw the Gophers pull down rebound after rebound mainly ending in the hands of Chaska, Minnesota Junior, Molly Heyer. Heyer claimed 15 rebounds on the night including five offensive boards to which her teammates rewarded.

     Early in third, Minneapolis, Minnesota freshman Liv McGill kept the pressure on by continuing to hit key shots for the Gators.

     The Gophers received contributions from all over the roster including 14 points and a team high six assists and three steals in over 38 minutes of floor time for 6’1, Minnetonka, Minnesota freshman Tori McKinney.

      North Prairie, Wisconsin Sophomore Grace Grocholski led the Gophers with 20 points, six boards, four assists and a steal in over 39 minutes of game time. Grocholski also committed only two turnovers.

     Besides Heyer’s 15 boards, Mallory scored 13 points.

     Hopkins, Minnesota Junior Amaya Battle added ten points and Farmington, Minnesota Senior Sophie Hart scored eight.

      Florida was led by McGill’s 18 and Laila Reynolds’ eleven points.

      Minnesota won the paint war by eight points, 28 to 20, points from turnovers 13 to eight and second chance points eight to seven.

       Minnesota moves on to challenge Belmont for the WBIT Championship Wednesday, April 2, 2025 in the Historic  Hinkle Fieldhouse.