Box Score SIOUX CITY, Iowa --- Four playoff wins down, five to go until University of St. Francis gains the respect of NAIA women's basketball. The unranked Saints took another step in that direction late Friday afternoon when they posted their second straight upset victory of the postseason, this time knocking off No.2 seeded Texas Wesleyan University 82-75 in the semifinal round of the four-team NAIA National Tournament Sioux City bracket.

Like it did 13 days earlier in knocking off NAIA No.18 ranked Saint Xavier University for the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament championship, head coach John McGinity's club went to its same recipe for success on Friday, jumping on top early and never relinquishing the lead. Tied at 10 all in the opening quarter, the No.3 seeded Saints went on a 19-2 run that extended into the first three minutes of the second quarter before surviving a late charge from the Rams down the stretch.

A trio of three pointers as part of six baskets in nine attempts sparked the eight minute surge. Braxtin Mickens and Justene Charlesworth started it with back-to-back treys before Hannah Swiatek hit the third one just moments after a Jordan Pyle basket.

The end numbers during the stretch saw the Saints score eight baskets in 16 attempts, while Texas Wesleyan (25-7) went 1 for 11 with five turnovers in falling behind 29-12 with 7:17 remaining in the second quarter. The latter got that deficit down to 39-28 late in the second quarter before a Pyle layup beat the horn to close the first half with USF leading 41-28.

Not to rest on its first half laurels, St. Francis (27-6) extended its lead as high as 24 points three separate times in the third quarter, the last time coming at 59-35 with four minutes remaining. A 14-4 push followed by a 13-4 surge got the deficit back down to single digits (71-62) for Texas Wesleyan with 3:22 still remaining in the contest.

Free throws down the stretch, including after the Rams made it a 78-71 game with 44 seconds left, sealed the Saints' 14th win in a row. They hit nine of their final 12 attempts (75 pct.) after converting at just a 60 percent clip (6-for-10) up until that point.

USF finished the game shooting 43.1 percent from the field (28-of-65), keyed by the 10 of 18 first quarter mark (55.6), which included five treys in seven attempts. On the opposite end of the court, the Saints held Texas Wesleyan to 35 percent shooting (28-of-80) on the afternoon.

USF's five starters accounted for all of their points topped by Charlesworth's 25 on 7 of 13 accuracy from three point range. Andriana Acosta followed with her 15th double double of the season and sixth in a row with her 21 points and 19 boards. 

Pyle authored a double double, as well, matching her 14 points with 14 rebounds. She also dished out a game high seven assists.

Hannah Switakek provided another six assists and 17 points, while being perfect from long range (3-for-3). As a team, USF converted 11 of its 23 three pointers (47.8 pct.).
Texas Wesleyan also had a pair of double double players with Makayla Coy's 19 points and ten rebounds and Zarria Carter's 13 points and 10 caroms.

Up Next
The Saints meet NAIA No. 6 ranked Morningside (28-5) on the latter's home court for the Opening Round Championship game on Saturday at 3 pm. The winner returns to Sioux City next weekend for the NAIA National Championship Round of 16.

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