For the second time in three seasons, Bowdoin and Bates will square off for the NESCAC Women’s Basketball title at Noon on Sunday, March 1 at Morrell Gymnasium. The Polar Bears return to the championship game for the third consecutive year after pulling away from Williams and the Bobcats used a decisive second half to book their spot in the final.
Bowdoin is the two-time defending NESCAC Champion, while Bates won its last conference crown in 2022. The NESCAC Championship game marks the third meeting between the teams this season. Bowdoin defeated Bates, 77-70 in double overtime in Lewiston on December 4 in a non-conference matchup and posted a 62-49 win over the Bobcats at Morrell Gymnasium in the league game on January 16. The Polar Bears are 7-0 against Bates in the NESCAC Tournament series, which includes a 66-56 win in the 2024 final.
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME TICKETS
Online general admission tickets for Sunday's NESCAC Championship game are sold out. Another allotment of tickets (following team distribution) will be available online at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday. Tickets for the semifinal games are $8 for adults, $5 for seniors, $3 for students/children 3 and older, and children under 3 are free.
Click here at 9:30 a.m. Sunday to purchase tickets.
HOW TO WATCH
The game will be streamed via the NESCAC Network and can be viewed on mobile devices, computers, or Roku, AppleTV, and Amazon FireTV via the NESCAC Network app. Visit the app store on your favorite device and search for
NESCAC Network, download the app, and start watching.
CHAMPIONSHIP GEAR
NESCAC Women's Basketball Championship merchandise is available now on SquadLocker. NESCAC Championship gear can be personalized with a name or number and shipped directly to your home. Click the Shop Now button below.
No. 1 Bowdoin def. No. 5 Williams, 59-48 | Box Score
Grace Kinum scored 18 points and Bowdoin overcame a slow start to pull away from Williams 59-48 in the first semifinal at Morrell Gymnasium. Kinum, who shot 7 of 19 from the field and hauled in nine rebounds for the Polar Bears, who trailed by as many as five points in the opening quarter before regrouping. Carly Davey added 10 points off the bench and contributed seven points in a decisive second quarter in which Bowdoin outscored Williams 17-10 to seize control. Jamie Yue dished a team-high six assists. The Polar Bears led 30-25 at halftime and never relinquished the advantage in the second half, extending their largest lead to 11 points midway through the fourth quarter on a Payton Collins 3-pointer. Micah Walton led Williams with 21 points, going 6 of 10 from the field and 9 of 10 from the free-throw line. But the Ephs shot just 34.1 percent overall and went 0 for 7 from 3-point range. Logan Coster pulled down 12 rebounds for Williams.
No. 2 Bates def. No. 3 Amherst, 80-68 | Box Score
Elsa Daulerio delivered a double-double with 24 points and 11 rebounds, and Bates pulled away in the second half to defeat Amherst, 80-68, in the second semifinal at Morrell Gymnasium. Daulerio, who shot 10 of 13 from the field, helped Bates outrebound Amherst 45-33. Claire Gaetani provided a critical lift off the bench, scoring 17 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including a pivotal 3-pointer in the third quarter that tied the game at 48 and sparked a decisive Bates run as the Bobcats outscored Amherst 40-25 in the second half. Sarah Hughes added 21 points for Bates, going a perfect 6 for 6 from the free-throw line and delivering back-to-back baskets late in the fourth quarter that pushed the Bates lead to 15, the game's largest margin, with just over a minute remaining. Amherst led by as many as eight points in the second quarter and entered halftime ahead 43-40, but the Mammoths managed just 25 points over the final two quarters. Elizabeth Cain led Amherst off the bench with 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting, and Annie McCarthy matched her with 14 points.
