Top-seeded College of the Ozarks (Mo.) cruised to a 78-53 victory over Concordia University in the quarterfinals of the 17th annual NAIA Division II Women's Basketball National Championship in Sioux City, Iowa.
     Ozarks (34-1) jumped out to a quick 24-14 lead before 10 minutes had passed in the first half. By halftime the Bobcats' lead swelled to 38-25. Ozarks came out of the break with the same steam they had in the first half, going on an 8-0 run to start the second frame. Ozarks would maintain a lead of better than 20 points for the remainder of the quarterfinal matchup March 15.
     Concordia (26-7) could not find a shooting touch on the afternoon as the Ozarks held the Bulldogs to 31 percent (19 for 61).
     The Bobcats also forced 25 CU turnovers which led to 33 points for the Ozarks. On the other hand while Concordia was cold from the field Ozarks was not drastically better, shooting 40 percent (29 for 72) from the field. The Bobcats outrebounded CU 52-42.
     Ozarks was led offensively by Lindsy Murray with a double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds, while three other starters each went for 11 points apiece-Janessa Demuth, Kayli Combs, and Rebekah Howard.
     Concordia was led offensively by Libby Hirssig with 12 points on five of six shooting from the field.
     Ozarks advanced to the semifinals to take on Hastings on March 17. This is Ozarks' third consecutive season making an appearance in the semifinals.
     Concordia ended the season with five of their seven losses coming to teams still active in the championship tournament.
    CU 82, Davenport 72
     CU was able to hold off Davenport and earn a hard-fought 82-72 victory in the second round.
     In the topsy-turvy first half, the teams swapped the lead with scoring runs and closed the half with Davenport leading by one point, 32-31.
     In the second frame the Panthers were able to get a quick bucket after a Concordia miss, but the Panthers did not score again until freshman Brittany Lyman hit a free throw with 15:09 remaining. During that span Concordia couldn't miss, jumping out to a 47-34 lead.
     Davenport chipped into Concordia's lead, eventually pulling even with the Bulldogs at 50-50 on a lay in by senior Jeanette Woodberry. The turning point in the ball game came as the Bulldogs, leading by four, missed a three-point attempt but ruled the boards. Hirssig pulled down the missed three-pointer and made two other rebounds before scoring and extending the Bulldog lead to six.
     Davenport couldn't close the gap and Concordia, meanwhile, was solid at the free throw line. On the day Concordia shot 72 percent from the charity stripe while going to the line 43 times (31 for 43).
     Hirssig led the Concordia offense, netting a double-double of 19 points and 18 rebounds, while junior Whitney Stichka added 19 points and junior Melissa Tinkham chipped in with 17 points.
     Woodberry led Davenport with a double-double of 28 points and 12 rebounds to pace the Panthers.
    CU 84, Union 64
     Four players reached double figures, and every player who saw action scored for fourth-seed Concordia University, as they downed sixth-seeded Union College (Ky.), 84-64, in the opening round of the championship.
     Concordia (25-6) went on a 10-2 run midway through the first half to open up a 29-19 advantage with 6:54 remaining. The Bulldogs used that momentum to propel themselves to a 41-27 halftime lead. The closest Union (27-6) got was 14 points at 76-62.
     Stichka led the Bulldogs with 18 points. Senior post Jenni Lovegrove added a double-double for Concordia, with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Also reaching double digits were Tinkham (12) and Stacy Sheer (11). Concordia also was 26 for 38 from the free throw line.
     Union was paced by sophomore Brooke Smith. Smith finished one rebound shy of a double-double with 18 points and nine rebounds. Also reaching double digits were Susanna Todd (14) and Allison Fowler (12).