HUNTSVILLE, Ala. | Women's Basketball made program history Saturday night, defeating Nova Southeastern 73-70 at SportsMED Arena in Spragins Hall to advance to the NCAA Division II Sweet 16 for the first time in program history.
The Chargers lead the game from start to finish, but Nova Southeastern made UAH work for every possession with relentless pressure and a full-court press throughout the contest.
Lili Wilken led the Chargers with 21 points and eight rebounds, but several teammates stepped up with key contributions to help UAH secure the historic win.
When Wilken encountered foul trouble during stretches of the game, Ivey Maddox provided a crucial spark. Maddox finished with 17 points, knocking down five three-pointers that helped the Chargers maintain their lead against the Sharks' defensive pressure.
Millie Brown also delivered a strong performance with 13 points, including one of the game's biggest moments late in the fourth quarter. After being fouled with 58 seconds remaining, Brown calmly sank two free throws to give UAH a five-point lead at 71-66.
Nova Southeastern answered with a late push and cut the deficit to a single point before Paris Opelt sealed the victory at the free throw line. With the Chargers holding a 71-70 lead and just seven seconds remaining, Opelt knocked down two clutch free throws to secure the 73-70 victory.
The win marks UAH's first-ever victory over Nova Southeastern and avenges last season's NCAA Tournament loss, when the Sharks eliminated the Chargers in the opening round.
While several Chargers filled the scoring column, the team credited McKenzie Percoski for a defensive performance that proved pivotal. Percoski finished the game with eight rebounds but did not score a point. However, her physical play in the post limited Nova Southeastern's center and forced the Sharks to adjust both offensively and defensively.
Following the game, head coach Allen Sharpe, along with Wilken and Brown, highlighted Percoski's defensive effort as one of the key reasons UAH was able to hold its lead and advance.
With the victory, the Chargers move on to the NCAA Division II South Regional Championship game Monday night.
UAH will face Eckerd, which pulled off a major upset earlier in the evening with a 65-38 victory over Union, holding the Bulldogs to just 20 percent shooting from the field.
Tipoff for the regional championship is scheduled for 7 p.m. at SportsMED Arena in Spragins Hall.
