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The Marian University women's basketball team celebrates its NAIA Div. II national championship in Sioux City, Iowa Tuesday night.
Courtesy Marian UniversityMarian University women's basketball claimed its first national title Tuesday with a 59-48 victory over Southern Oregon University in the NAIA Div. II championship.
Ninth-ranked Marian broke the game open midway through the second quarter with a 12-2 run sparked by back-to-back three pointers from senior Lakan Hasser-Smith. The Knights' defense kept No. 3 Southern Oregon in check the rest of the way, holding the Raiders to just 11 of 38 shooting in the second half.
Hasser-Smith was named Most Outstanding Player of the game, after recording her fifth straight double-digit scoring performance with 16 points. She also became the first Knight to hit the 2,000-point plateau. She reached the milestone on her final basket, a 3-pointer with 9:26 left in the game.
Marian head coach Katie Gearlds, in just her third season, was named the NAIA National Coach of the Year. She guidied the Knights to a record-breaking 32-6 season.
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