The Clarke (Iowa) Pride won the 2023 NAIA Women's Basketball Championship over Thomas More (Ky.) 63-52 for Clarke's first title on Saturday night in the Tyson Events Center. Thomas More opened the season at No. 1 as the defending national champions and proceeded to go on a 22-game win streak. The only losses that TMU incurred throughout the season were to Mid-South Conference Opponents. After losing in the quarterfinals of the Mid-South Conference tournament, the Saints earned an at-large bid into the NAIA championship tournament. Thomas More has only been dealt one loss in NAIA championship tournament play in their history, which came in 2021 in the championship game against Westmont (Calif.). From the other side of the bracket, Clarke (Iowa), was only dealt four losses on the season. Three of those losses came from Heart of America Athletic Conference opponent, Central Methodist (Mo.). The Pride went on to qualify for the NAIA championship tournament as the Heart of America Athletic Conference regular-season runner-up after the team's loss in the conference championship to CMU. Clarke broke through the quarterfinal round of the NAIA tournament for the first time in school history this year and was still not done as the team continued their battle for the red banner all the way to the championship game. Clarke (Iowa) got on the board first with a three-pointer and jumped out to an early 12-0 lead in the title game thanks to fast break opportunities and offensive rebounds.
Zoie Barth (5'8''-G) put Thomas More (Ky.) on the board, as the Pride defense was stout and didn't allow the Saints to score until under five minutes to play in the opening frame. Clarke held a seven-point advantage, 18-11, after the first 10 minutes. Thomas More knocked down three of their first six shots in the second quarter and cut the Clarke lead down to two at 20-18 and forced a Pride time out. Tina Ubl of Clarke would end a scoreless drought for both sides, increasing the Clarke lead back up to four with just under five minutes left to go in the half. Late in the first half, Kelly Brenner gave Thomas More their first lead of the contest (23-22), drilling a three-pointer in the corner in front of the Clarke bench. The two squads ended the half alternating the lead as it would be the Pride who held the one-point advantage at the halftime break, 26-25. At the break, Thomas More's Zoie Buth had a game-high 11 points and was the only player to knock down two three-pointers in the half. Clarke was led by Ubl's seven points. Skylar Culbertson (Clarke) and Barth brought down a game-high five rebounds for their respective team. Clarke started the second half scoring eight of the first 10 points of the third quarter behind a pair of three-pointers from
Giana Michels (5'6''-G) and
Mya Merschman (5'11''-G/F) as the team opened up a 34-27 advantage. The Pride defense held the Saints to one-for-seven shooting to start the second half. Ubl would give the Pride their second double-digit lead of the game at the free throw line, as she knocked down a pair and make it 40-30 score midway through the quarter. Thomas More used an 8-0 run to pull within two in the latter half of the third, forcing Clarke to use a time. As the game went to the final quarter of play, it was the Clarke Pride holding on to a slim one-point lead, 42-41.
Nicole McDermott (5'7''-G) of Clarke was a spark plug for the Pride in the final period, scoring the first bucket and forcing a turnover on the defensive end of the floor. Emily Simon drilled a three-pointer to give the contest the first tie of the day. Clarke responded with a six point run, before Courtney Hurst knocked down a three of her own to make it 50-47 Clarke with five minutes to play. Thomas More once again tied it up with an and-one play from Barth with just under four to play, but Clarke's
Giana Michels responded with an and-one of her own. It was Clarke, in the final three minutes, who held the 54-50 advantage. Skylar Culbertson of Clarke hit a pair of free throws and McDermott recorded a fast break lay-up to make it an eight-point game. Down the stretch in the final minute, the Pride converted on all four of their free throw attempts to win the program's first-ever red banner, 63-52.
Nicole McDermott led the game with her 17 points while collecting 10 rebounds for the lone double-double of the contest. Her teammate,
Giana Michels recorded double digits with 14 points as she notched a team-high two steals. Clarke's national championship run as the No. 2-seed in the Duer quadrant culminates in a 33-4 record under head coach Courtney Boyd. Boyd is now one of nine female head coaches that have won an NAIA Women's Basketball title. This marks the 13th time that a female head coach has won an NAIA Women's Basketball title. The Saints were led by
Zoie Barth and her 16 points and five rebounds. Two other Saints also notched double digits in Courtney Hurst (13) and Emily Simon (11). Kelly Brenner notched a game-high three steals in the effort. Thomas More ends their season with a 31-4 overall record, reaching the national championship game for the third-straight season under head coach Jeff Hans. Clarke held the edge shooting-wise on the night, shooting 42.2% to TMU's 32.2%. Additionally, the Pride hit 91.3% of their free throw attempts on the night, shooting 21-for-23. Clarke held a lead (or the game was tied) for all but 39 seconds tonight.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
1st Team
Nicole McDermott, Clarke (Iowa)
Alex Smith (6'0''-G/F), Thomas More (Ky.)
Savannah Waldorf, Dakota State (S.D.)
Leianaya Massenat, Central Methodist (Mo.)
2nd Team
Elsie Aslesen (6'1''-F/C), Dakota State (S.D.)
Daryna Backkarova, Central Methodist (Mo.)
Jordan Sweeney (5'7''-G), Montana Western
Zoie Barth, Thomas More (Ky.)
Giana Michels, Clarke (Iowa)
Hustle Award -
Nicole McDermott, Clarke (Iowa)
Tournament MVP - Tina Uble, Clarke (Iowa)
Courtesy of: naia.org
mIFd
Ella Collier (6'0''-G) of Marian, IN
Melissa Akullu (6'1''-C) of Vanguard
