Matthew Theodros | staff writer

This week, Duquesne University hosted the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Tournament at Cooper Fieldhouse.

The teams vying for the championship title were Grand Valley State, Bentley, Cal State Dominguez Hills, Pittsburg State, Lubbock Christian, Coker, Union (TN) and Gannon. The university provided a supportive atmosphere for the athletes, coaches and fans traveling across the country to watch their respective programs quest to win it all.

Wednesday night featured semifinal matchups between Union and Cal State Dominguez Hills, as well as Pittsburg State and Grand Valley State. The games saw CSUDH and Grand Valley State come out successful to face off in Friday’s championship game.

Grand Valley State withstood a fierce third-quarter rally from Pittsburg State and pulled away for a 68-61 victory. The first half saw GVS control the tempo with its shot making and press defense, which stifled Pittsburgh State.

Trailing by 11 at halftime, Pittsburg State struggled with costly turnovers and missed opportunities early on. However, the third quarter saw an explosive comeback led by Grace Pyle, who sparked the Gorillas with three 3-pointers in the period, tying the game.

The fourth quarter was a defensive battle which saw the Gorillas attempting to continue their momentum, but eventually falling to fatigue. The Lakers’ Nicole Kamin was especially effective on the defensive end with back to back steals and blocks which gave them the edge. Kamin had a dominant game, finishing with 21 points, seven steals, seven rebounds, four assists and a block.

The Lakers are looking for their second national championship in women’s basketball, and first since 2006. It was a huge moment for the school as fans erupted in the final minutes, making the Coop look like a Duquesne home game.

For the first time in school history, CSUDH is advancing to the national championship after a dominant 68-50 win over Union. The 36-1 Toros controlled the pace and set the tone with their defense, forcing turnovers and inefficient shots.

Their physicality was on full display as they forced 21 turnovers, converting them into easy fastbreak points, outscoring their opponent 20-8 in that category. Additionally, they dominated the battle in the paint, outscoring their opponent 44-22.

The game showcased the dominant duo of guard Nala Williams, who excelled from beyond the arc, hitting 5 of 8 3-pointers, and forward Asia Jordan, who delivered a near triple-double with 19 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists. The two were elated after the game, expressing how much the moment meant to the team and the community.

“More than just California, representing Dominguez Hills is a big honor,” Williams said. “To know there is so much talent and to put DH on the map is an amazing thing and a great experience.”

For Union, it was a heartbreaking end to an outstanding season. The Bulldogs have established a winning culture, making the NCAA Tournament for the eighth consecutive season. After defeating Bentley on Monday, the top rated defense in D2 WBB, to reach this stage, they remained grateful and determined to bring the same fire for another strong run next year.

“It’s been a great group, and I’m blessed to have the relationships I’ve had this season,” Union Head Coach Mark Campbell said. “Sometimes things fall short in life and we lost to the better team tonight.”

As for the other games in the Elite Eight on Monday, the contests were relatively uncompetitive with wide margins of victory. Grand Valley State’s 60-32 victory over Gannon, Pittsburg State’s 66-55 defeat of Lubbock Christian and CSUDH’s 82-66 triumph over Coker highlighted the high volatility, an underwhelming aspect of the tournament.

On Friday, Grand Valley State and Dominguez Hills will step onto the court with a shared ambition to win the national D2 title at Cooper Fieldhouse.