SPRING ARBOR, Mich. – The Spring Arbor University women's basketball team defeated Huntington University 93-85 in the Crossroads League Tournament Quarterfinals on Wednesday evening at the American 1 Credit Union Arena.
 
Spring Arbor, the tournament's No. 4 seed, trailed 26-21 after the first quarter but outscored the No. 5-seeded Foresters 20-12 in the second to pull ahead, and the Cougars would never relinquish their lead.
 
Alana Nelson, the reigning Crossroads League Offensive Player of the Week, dropped 39 points and grabbed a career-high 21 rebounds – only one away from the SAU single-game record – to propel the Cougars into the tournament semifinals.
 
 
THE BASICS
SCORE: Spring Arbor 93, Huntington 85
LOCATION: Spring Arbor, Mich. | American 1 Credit Union Arena
RECORDS: Spring Arbor 19-10, Huntington 17-12
 
 
GAME NOTES

• Spring Arbor raced out to an 8-2 lead in the first four minutes of the game. However, Huntington settled in and would knock down four straight 3-pointers to jump in front. The Foresters would lead by as many as seven, 26-19, in the first period.
• The SAU defense tightened up in the second quarter, limiting Huntington to just 12 points and forcing the Foresters into five turnovers. Over the final six minutes of the period, the Cougars outscored the visitors 10-2 and would take a 41-38 lead into halftime.
• Nelson took over in the third quarter scoring 20 of SAU's 26 points on 8-of-10 shooting while going a perfect 3-for-3 from the free throw line. A 3-pointer from the senior forward at the 4:09 mark of the period gave Spring Arbor a 13-point lead, 63-50.
• With less than seven minutes to go in the game, Spring Arbor was still in control and held a double-digit lead. Huntington made one more push, cutting the deficit to four, 87-83, with under a minute remaining on the clock, but Nelson and Emma Smieska would combine to go a perfect 6-for-6 from the charity stripe down the stretch to seal the victory.
• Nelson recorded her fifth consecutive double-double with 39 points and 21 rebounds. Megan Zeitz finished with 21 points and Sydney Aunins added 16.
• Spring Arbor dominated the glass, out-rebounding Huntington 47-32. The Cougars grabbed 16 offensive rebounds and turned those into 18 second chance points while the Foresters were limited to two second chance points.

 
 
UP NEXT
Spring Arbor travels to Marion, Indiana to take on the Crossroads League regular season champions, and the nation's No. 4 ranked, Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats (27-2) on Saturday, Mar. 1 at 1 p.m. The winner will advance to the Crossroads League Tournament Championship game, which is scheduled for Tuesday, Mar. 4.