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(NewsDakota.com) – The Valley City State women’s basketball team is heading back to the NAIA National Tournament.
Courtney Titus scored a career-high 24 points as the Vikings defeated Mayville State 78-66 in a national qualifying game during the A.I.I. Tournament Saturday at the Jamestown Civic Center. They will play for the championship at 2 p.m. Sunday.
Titus knocked down seven 3-pointers, including four in the first half as the Vikings led 32-23 at the break. VCSU (24-6) never trailed in the game and set a school record with their 24th win this season.
Brittany Lehner added 19 points for VCSU, and was 11-for-12 at the free-throw line. The Vikings led 36-23 early in the second half, but a 16-5 run by Mayville brought the Comets to within two points at 41-39. The Vikings ripped off the next 16 points, capped by Titus’ seventh 3 of the game to put them up 57-39.
A bucket by Ashli Lee gave the Vikings their largest lead of the game at 59-40. The Comets got to within 72-66 with just under a minute to go, but Valley City State held them off by going 8-for-8 at the line in the final minute.
As a team, Valley City State was 11-for-20 on 3’s, and 25-for-28 on free throws. Sadiqah Jihad also reached double figures with 12 points, Sierra Even had eight points and six assists, and Alyssa Hummel added eight points.
Titus, a senior, had previous career highs of 18 points and four made 3-pointers before her huge game Saturday afternoon.
Mayville was led by a big game off the bench from Liza Hoglo. She had 18 points and nine rebounds. Hailey Longtin and Sabrina Rude both scored 14 for Mayville. The Comets were 9-for-31 on 3-pointers and 9-for-12 at the free-throw line.
Valley City State advances to Sunday’s 2 p.m. championship game where they will play either Jamestown College or Ashford. VCSU also clinched an automatic berth in the NAIA National Tournament March 6-12 in Sioux City, Iowa. This is the third straight year the Vikings have made the national tournament.
Mayville State (20-5) is ranked No. 22 in the country and is firmly on the bubble to receive an at-large bid to the national tournament. They will learn their fate Wednesday when the 32-team field is announced.