Arizona Western Women’s Basketball returns to national tournament for second straight season
The Matadors took down the top team in the country to punch their ticket to the Big Dance
THATCHER, Ariz. (KYMA) - The slipper fit for the Arizona Western Matadors on Wednesday night.
Arizona Western stunned the top-seeded Eastern Arizona Gila Monsters with a dramatic 51–50 victory in the Region I Championship, punching its ticket to the national tournament and snapping Eastern Arizona's 29-game winning streak.
The Matadors entered the matchup having lost their previous three meetings with Eastern Arizona this season, but this time the script flipped.
After clutch free throws from the Gila Monsters to tie the game with 20 seconds remaining, Arizona Western had the opportunity to win the game.
Mable Doumbia got an open look for the potential game-winner, but her shot bounced off the rim.
Fortunately for the Matadors, Garance Soulas was in the right place at the right time. Soulas grabbed the offensive rebound and quickly put it back in, giving Arizona Western a 51-49 lead.
With less than a second left, the Matadors commited a foul, but the Gila Monsters were only able to make one free throw, sending the Matadors to the national tournament.
Arizona Western coach Chelsea Dewey said the win was especially rewarding for her players who have worked toward moments like this all season.
"It's a wonderful feeling because your kids get to see the payoff," Dewey said. "They come in every day to practice and finally get to see the reward. Seeing how happy and joyful they are for each other is a really special moment as a coach."
Dewey added that the team originally planned to hold the ball for the final shot of the game, but the sequence still worked out in Arizona Western's favor.
"She took it a little bit early, but thank the Lord for offensive rebounding," Dewey said. "I think our team even was like 'oh!' when we fouled, but hey, we came out out on top."
The victory keeps the Matadors' postseason run alive and secures their place in the national tournament, while Eastern Arizona's lengthy winning streak comes to an end.
