Women's Basketball | 3/1/2025 5:57:00 PM
BROCKPORT, NY - The SUNY Geneseo women's basketball team traveled to top-seeded Brockport on Saturday for the Empire 8 Championship, and came away with a thrilling 66-63 victory, capturing the program's first Empire 8 title, and seventh overall conference championship. Mackenzie Reigle swept the major tournament awards, being named the Most Valuable Player and Torchbearer Award winner.
Geneseo improved to 22-6 with the win, while Brockport fell to 24-4. Geneseo earned the Empire 8's automatic berth into the 2025 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament and will await their opponent and venue as the NCAA announces its selections at 2:30 p.m. on Monday, March 3. Brockport will await a potential at-large berth on Monday.
The Knights only deficit of the first quarter came at 3-2 just two possessions into the game. Geneseo rattled off six straight points to gain control of the game, with Reigle, Kiley Snow, and Audrey Hintz knocking down shots. The Knights closed the opening 10 minutes with a 16-13 lead.
Snow jump started the Geneseo offense in the second quarter, knocking down an early layup and three to put the team ahead by 10 points 23-13. The Golden Eagles found a way to battle back and cut the lead down to just one point, but the Knights were able to regain the momentum before halftime as they led 37-30.
Geneseo continued to hold onto a slim lead throughout the third quarter, with a layup from Reigle putting them ahead by five points at 45-40. Unfortunately, Brockport was able to flip the momentum in their favor before the end of the quarter, going on a 9-2 run to close the quarter and take their first lead since the opening minute.
With just over three minutes remaining in the game, the Knights found themselves down by three points at 59-56. On the ensuing possession, Reigle converted a layup off a pass from Maggie McGrane. Reigle came up clutch for the Knights again after a big defensive stop, knocking down a jump shot to take a 60-59 lead. Geneseo never relinquished the lead again, knocking down all four free throws down the stretch to help secure the 66-63 win.
Reigle, the Tournament MVP, dropped 21 points on 10-18 shooting, with six rebounds, five assists, and four steals. Snow chipped in 13 points, while Audrey Hintz led the way in rebounding with eight.
Geneseo's defense limited the Golden Eagles to just 29 percent from the field and 25 percent from 3-point range.
Kalieigh Hunt led Brockport with 17 points and eight boards, while Peyton Maneri, the Empire 8 Rookie of the Year, added 15 on 6-of-9 shooting from the field. Mandy Brink chipped in with 12 points.
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
www.empire8.com.
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