Women's Basketball 2/24/2026 9:30:00 PM

Royals cruise, Cardinals rally in MIAC Women's Basketball Playoffs

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – The 2026 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Women's Basketball Playoffs tipped off on Tuesday night with a pair of quarterfinal contests.

No. 3 Bethel cruised to an 87-57 home victory over No. 6 St. Scholastica, while No. 4 Saint Mary's battled back from a 21-point third-quarter deficit to defeat No. 5 Hamline, 59-52.

The Royals will take on defending playoff champion Gustavus in the semifinals on Thursday, while Saint Mary's will head to Moorhead to face regular-season champion Concordia. Game times are set for 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM, respectively.

NO. 3 BETHEL 87, NO. 6 ST. SCHOLASTICA 57 | Box Score |
-Bethel scored early and often, holding the Saints to single-digit point totals in each of the first two quarters, though the Saints outscored the Royals, 42-39, in the second half.
-Emily Erickson led all scorers with 25 points. Erickson was 9-for-13 from the field and 6-for-6 from the line in 23 minutes of action for the Royals.
-St. Scholastica guard Ava Haus scored a team-high 21 points for the Saints. Haus was 6-for-6 from the free-throw line and knocked down three treys.
-Bethel will face Gustavus in a rematch of last season's MIAC Playoff Championship game on Thursday. The Gusties claimed the only regular-season meeting between the two squads, 78-68, on January 3 in St. Peter.

NO. 4 SAINT MARY'S 59, NO. 5 HAMLINE 52 | Box Score |
-Down by 21 points with 2:30 remaining in the third quarter, Saint Mary's pulled off a comeback for the ages, outscoring Hamline 27-0 in the fourth to claim a 59-52 win.
-SMU guard Brianna Nusbaum scored eight of her game-high 24 points in the final frame. She finished one rebound shy of a double-double.
-Emma Lamppa led the Pipers with nine points on three shots from beyond the arc, along with four steals on the defensive end of the court.
-Saint Mary's will face top-seeded Concordia in the semifinals on Thursday. The Cardinals were one of only two teams to defeat the Cobbers in conference play this season, handing Concordia a 63-51 loss in Winona on January 10.

SEMIFINAL TICKETS ON SALE
Tickets for Thursday's semifinal games are on sale now. All tickets will be sold and purchased online via HomeTown Ticketing. There will not be cash sales at any venue; however, spectators can purchase tickets using a mobile device, including while at the venue. General admission adult tickets are $12 (plus HTT service charge). Student (with ID) tickets are $3 (plus HTT service charge), and children ages five and under are admitted free.

PAY-PER-VIEW
The 2026 MIAC Women's Basketball Playoffs will be streamed live on the MIAC Sports Network in a pay-per-view format. Individual playoff contests will be streamed for $10 each, or $25 for a "championship pass" to stream the entire tournament live. On-demand access to playoff games will be available after the NCAA Tournament concludes.

The MIAC Sports Network Help Page provides guidance and links to help fans navigate the streaming platform. Hudl Customer Support is also available by email or 24/7 chat to assist with any issues.

PLAYOFF APPAREL
Official playoff apparel is available for online purchase via the MIAC Shop powered by UNRestricted MKTG. The online MIAC Shop features officially licensed short-sleeve t-shirts, long-sleeves, and hooded sweatshirts to commemorate the 2026 playoff tournament. Team champion apparel will be added and available for purchase shortly after the championship game.

FOLLOW THE ACTION
The MIAC has a homepage dedicated to the 2026 MIAC Women's Basketball Playoffs, containing schedules, links, and information on each of the six teams in the field. Throughout the tournament, the page will be updated with scores, stats, and updated schedules.

| 2026 MIAC Women's Basketball Playoffs |

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