BRUNSWICK, Maine - The top-seeded Bowdoin College women's basketball team used a second half rally to defeat fourth-seeded Middlebury, 61-54, in the NESCAC Semifinals in front of a capacity crowd Saturday afternoon in Morrell Gymnasium. 

The Polar Bears (24-2) will face the winner of Bates and Trinity in the conference title game at noon Sunday. It will be Bowdoin's 14th appearance in the NESCAC Championship game, the most of any school, and first since 2020. Middlebury (17-9) will hope for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament when selections are announced Monday. 

Tickets for Sunday's NESCAC title game will go on sale at 7:30 p.m. at this link.

Game Highlights

• Trailing 28-22 after the first half, Bowdoin came out in the third and chipped away at the Panthers before taking its first lead of the game off a Sydney Jones 3-pointer to make it 37-36.
• Alexa Mustafaj answered with a layup to push Middlebury back on top, but Abbie Quinn's shot at 1:23 gave Bowdoin a 39-38 edge and the Polar Bears never relinquished control.
• The Polar Bears outscored the Panthers 20-10 in the third.
• Bowdoin led by as much as 11 points in the fourth quarter, while Augusta Dixon cut the visitors deficit to five with two minutes remaining.
• Bowdoin went 7-for-8 from the free throw line to close out the game.

 
By the Numbers

• Jones and Mustafaj each put up 22 points to lead both teams.
• Jones scored 18 of her 22 points in the second half as the Polar Bears overcame early shooting woes, going 30% from the field as a team.
• Quinn chipped in 11 points off 4-5 shooting and a trio of free throws.
• Mustafaj and Calie Messina combined for 39 Middlebury points while shooting 44% from beyond the arc.
• Bowdoin outpaced Middlebury 17-3 in second chance points.

 
Up Next

• Bowdoin will face the winner of Bates and Trinity in the NESCAC Championship game Sunday at noon. Tickets will be available here at 7:30 p.m. and doors open at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday. Bowdoin will be looking for its tenth conference title in program history.