Even with a blizzard during the week, the Wildcat women’s basketball team was on fire in the GLIAC Tournament. They dominated Saginaw Valley State in the first round, winning 81-60. However, they were sadly eliminated from the tournament by Ferris State in a hard-fought battle, falling 73-66. Even with that loss, the team secured their ticket into the NCAA Tournament.

Vandament Arena hosted the first GLIAC Tournament game for the Wildcats during the blizzard. Despite the crazy weather conditions, Jacy Weisbrod put up a game-high 27 points, marking the third time this season she has hit a game-high. Abi Fraaza added 13 points to the scoreboard, followed by Alyssa Nimz with 12 and Sydney Whitehouse with 10. The team sealed their victory over Saginaw Valley with a final score of 81-60. This win advanced the team into the second round of the tournament, where they faced off against Ferris State.

In the game against Ferris State, held in Allendale, Mich., the Wildcats fought a long and hard battle against the Bulldogs but were unable to pull out the win in the second round of the GLIAC Tournament. The Wildcats held the lead for the majority of the game, with the score tied up until the final 90 seconds of regulation. Whitehouse led the team with 18 points during this game, followed by Nimz with 15, and Fraaza with 11.

The game was back-and-forth the entire game, with the score tied at 63-63 in the final 90 seconds. However, Ferris State capitalized on late opportunities, closing out the game with a few shots to end the game 73-66. While the team lost, they faced a nerve-wracking day ahead of them as they awaited news of an NCAA Tournament bid. Both the Wildcat men’s and women’s teams gathered Sunday night to watch and wait for the tournament selection announcement.

The Wildcat men’s team had just won the GLIAC Championship against Lake Superior State, while the women’s team was coming off its loss to Ferris State. Gathered together in the Izzo-Mariucci Video Room, the athletes anxiously awaited the announcement of whether they would get another chance to see the court this season.

Both teams earned bids to the NCAA Tournament, with the women’s team securing the No. 3 seed in the NCAA Midwest Regional quarterfinals. They they will face off against Hillsdale in Allendale, Michigan. The Wildcats previously competed in Allendale, home to Grand Valley State. The team’s current record is 22-8, while Hillsdale sits at 21-9. If the Wildcats defeat Hillsdale, they will move on to the NCAA Tournament semifinals.