Saint Francis (Ind.) Defeats Hastings (Neb) to Clinch Quarterfinal Spot
In the 2026 NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship, the Saint Francis (Ind.) Cougars defeated the Hastings (Neb.) Broncos 67–60 after a strong fourth quarter.
SIOUX CITY, IOWA [BOX SCORE | BRACKET] — In the 2026 NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship Round of 16, the Saint Francis (Ind.) Cougars defeated the Hastings (Neb.) Broncos 67–60 after a strong fourth quarter.
The contest stayed within one possession for much of the night. The Broncos had their best showing in the second quarter, scoring 21 points. The Cougars, however, carried a slim 25–23 halftime edge. Hastings kept pace coming out of the break, but Saint Francis won the third quarter to take a 45–40 lead into the final period. In the final frame, the Cougars outscored the Broncos 22-17.
The Cougars then put the game away in the fourth, outscoring Hastings 22–13 behind efficient shot-making and frequent trips to the free-throw line. Saint Francis finished 83.3% at the charity stripe, going 15-of-18, and shot 42.3% overall, while Hastings was held to 31.7% from the field.
For Saint Francis, Cali Gregory led all scorers with 25 points, hitting four from deep, while also adding four assists. Taylor Fordyce followed, adding 17 points of her own and was a major factor at the line, going 8-of-10 on free throws, with six rebounds, three steals, and two blocks. Off the bench, Julia Mantyla provided a spark, contributing 12 points in the victory.
McKenna Yates paced the Broncos with 15 points, knocking down 4-of-9 from beyond the arc. Macy Bryant followed closely with 13 points and was perfect at the line, going 6-for-6. Mariyah Avila added 11 points along with three steals.
Saint Francis was able to outshoot the Broncos from deep, shooting 36.4% compared to Hastings 24.2%. However, the rebounding battle was neck and neck, with the Broncos grabbing 36, compared to the Cougars' 32.
With the loss, Hastings finishes the season 24-8 and is eliminated from tournament play.
Saint Francis moves on to quarterfinal play, marking the program's 12th appearance since their first quarterfinal in 1997. The Cougars return to action Saturday, March 21, at 3 p.m. CT, taking on Dordt (Iowa).