SPARTANBURG, S.C. — The Belmont Abbey women's basketball team returned to the court to face No. 1 seed UNC Pembroke in the championship game of the 2024 Conference Carolinas Atlantic Casualty Insurance Company Women's Basketball Tournament Sunday afternoon at Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium.
The Crusaders took an early lead but it was the Braves who came away with a 72-51 victory in a rematch of the championship game from the previous season.
Abigail Crain finished with 21 points and nine rebounds, one shy of a double-double.
Peyton Nation had 14 points and eight rebounds. Both players had a pair of steals for the Crusaders.
Belmont Abbey closes the season with a 23-8 overall record. UNC Pembroke moves to 23-7 and earns the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Crain and Nation accounted for the first nine points of the contest for the Crusaders.
- Belmont Abbey got off to a good start by making five of its first six shots.
- UNC Pembroke finished the first quarter on a 12-0 run.
- Katie Bischoping helped the Crusaders made a 3-pointer early in the second quarter to regain the lead at 18-16.
- With the game tied at 20-all in the second quarter, Nation tallied the next six Crusader Points.
- UNCP scored the last five points of the half to take a 30-28 lead into the locker room.
- Crain scored the first six points of the second half for The Abbey.
- Belmont Abbey trailed by 8 in the fourth quarter and UNC Pembroke made a pair of 3-pointers to pull away. The Braves hit 15 3-pointers in the contest.
- Belmont Abbey out-rebounded UNC Pembroke 29-28 in the contest.
- Riley James added seven points with four rebounds and a blocked shot.
- Crain finishes the season with 1,062 points for her career, placing her 24th in program history for points scored.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
- Following the conclusion of the tournament, Crain and Nation were selected to the all-tournament team.
