BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – The 2026 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Women's Basketball Playoffs continued on Thursday night with two semifinal matchups.
No. 3 Bethel took down No. 2 Gustavus, 73-66, in the evening's opening contest before a 50-point Cobber second-half propelled No. 1 Concordia past No. 4 Saint Mary's, 71-62.
The Cobbers will now host the Royals in the 2026 MIAC Women's Basketball Playoff Championship, tentatively scheduled for 3:00 p.m. on Saturday in Moorhead.
NO. 3 BETHEL 73, NO. 2 GUSTAVUS 66 | Box Score |
-Bethel forward Emily Erickson scored a game-high 27 points to lead the Royals. Erickson knocked down 10-of-15 shots from the field and 7-of-8 from the line.
-Colette Duininck collected seven steals for Bethel. The Royals scored 33 points off turnovers.
-The Gustie offense was led by Peyton Stevermer, who scored a team-best 20 points off the bench.
-Bethel is now headed to the MIAC Playoff championship game for the second year in a row. The Royals won their only previous MIAC Playoff title in 2020.
NO. 1 CONCORDIA 71, NO. 4 SAINT MARY'S 62 | Box Score |
-It was a tale of two halves for the Cobbers, who shot 32 percent from the floor and scored just 21 points in the first half before coming alive after halftime with 50 second-half points while shooting 75 percent from the field in the second half – and 80 percent in the fourth quarter.
-Concordia forward Maya Metcalf led all scorers with a 29-point effort, including 20 second-half points.
-First-year forward Ayla Olson led the Cardinals with 19 points, seven boards, and two steals in 38 minutes of play.
-Concordia will return to the MIAC Playoff championship game for the third time in the last four seasons. The Cobbers are two-time MIAC Playoff champions, with previous wins in 2006 and 2011.
PLAYOFF CHAMPIONSHIP SET FOR SATURDAY
-No. 1 Concordia will host No. 3 Bethel for the MIAC Playoff trophy with a guaranteed trip to the NCAA Tournament on the line. Game time is set for 3:00 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Auditorium in Moorhead.
-This will be the first-ever MIAC Playoff championship game matchup between the Royals and Cobbers. Concordia is 2-0 all-time against Bethel in the MIAC Playoffs, though the two programs have not met in the postseason since 2016. Bethel won a pair of regular-season games against Concordia – a non-conference contest in Moorhead last November, as well as the lone conference matchup in January.
-The MIAC Playoff champion will receive the playoff championship trophy and the conference's automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament.
TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Tickets for Saturday's championship game 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 PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
Quarterfinals | Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026
No. 4 Saint Mary's 59, No. 5 Hamline 52 | Box Score |
No. 3 Bethel 87, No. 6 St. Scholastica 57 | Box Score |
Semifinals | Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026
No. 3 Bethel 73, No. 2 Gustavus 66 | Box Score |
No. 1 Concordia 71, No. 4 Saint Mary's 62 | Box Score |
Championship | Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026
No. 3 Bethel at No. 1 Concordia | 3:00 PM | Tickets | Live Stats | PPV Stream |
GAME TIMES ARE TENTATIVE