CMS to host SCIAC Postseason Tournament Semifinal after third-consecutive regular season title

CLAREMONT, Calif. – The top four teams in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) face off in the Postseason Tournament on Thursday (Feb. 25) and Saturday (Feb. 27) this week. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps won the regular season title outright with a 15-1 record and is the No. 1 seed for the upcoming SCIAC Tournament. The Athenas will host No. 4 seed Redlands (9-7) in one semifinal while No. 2 Chapman (14-2) hosts No. 3 Cal Lutheran (12-4) in the other semifinal game.

Both semifinal games will be held on Thursday, Feb. 25 at 7:30 p.m. and the final will be played at the highest remaining seed's house on Saturday, Feb. 27. The winner of the final earns the automatic qualification to the NCAA tournament. Check the women's basketball schedule for further game information.

CMS will host in the Linde Activities Center at Harvey Mudd College (340 E Foothill Blvd, Claremont, CA 91711). A map of Harvey Mudd's campus can be found here. Only the main lobby entrances will be open to fans attending the games. As this is a conference playoff event, admission will be charged as follows:

• All SCIAC students, faculty, and staff with institutional ID: Free
• Children 12 years of age and under: Free
• General Admission: $10
• Seniors (55+) and Military: $5

The game can be followed online via a video broadcast for a $10 fee (per SCIAC regulations) or for free with live stats.

CMS owns the No. 1 seed in the tournament for the second-consecutive year. The Athenas' defense led the conference and allowed just 48.6 points per game, and held opponents' field goal percentage at a mere 33.5 percent and averaged 42.0 rebounds per game. Defensively, CMS is led by senior Mara Falahee (SCR) and junior Quinn Glosniak (CMC) who snag 9.5 and 6.4 rebounds per game, respectively. Offensively, the Athenas lead the SCIAC with a 77.3 free throw percentage, highlighted by sophomore Kailee Severt (CMC) at 96.3 percent on the season. Severt averages 12.4 points per game followed by junior Jai Dungca (CMC) at 9.3.

Chapman earned the No. 2 seed after only two losses in conference play. For the Panthers, junior Megan Charles sits at No. 2 in SCIAC for points at 14.4 per game while sophomore Jaime Hum-Nishikado tops the charts for her 3.0 three-pointers a game. Both Hum-Nishikado and Charles have been named SCIAC Female Athlete of the Week at least once this season for their outstanding performances. Senior Natalia Ebrahimian pours in 12.1 points per game and is often assisted by freshman Katelyn Serizawa who averages 4.4 assists.

Cal Lutheran comes in as the No. 3 seed after leading the SCIAC in points per game all season at 70.4. The Regals have seven players who average over six points per game. They are led by junior Jessica Salottolo at 11.1 and the lone senior, Chelsea Jacoby, at 9.5 points. Jacoby also contributes to the SCIAC-leading 4.4 blocks per game as a team with 1.3 blocks herself. Junior Taylor Messick and sophomore Tatiana Dunlap are on the top of the conference shooting 56.5 percent and 58.7 percent from the field.

As the No. 4 seed, Redlands matches up with CMS in a semifinal for the second-straight year. The Bulldogs are first in SCIAC in opponents' three-point percentage at just 25.8 percent and second to CMS in points allowed at 52.1. Sophomore Reyna Ta'amu is second on the team in both points (8.5) and rebounds (6.5) per game and has four double-doubles on the season. Leading the Bulldogs' offense is junior Jade Cheldelin, averaging 10.3 points per game. Sophomore Courtney Chen leads UR with 2.0 steals and 3.1 assists per game and senior Brinsley Farry knocks down 3.5 field goals each game.

By Emily Nordhoff
Sports Information Director

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