Story by Jake Knabel, NAIA Media Coordinator

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – (Box Score) March Madness is alive and well in Sioux City, Iowa. The matchup between top-seeded St. Francis (Ill.) and eighth-seeded UC Merced (Calif.) nearly resulted in the biggest upset in the history of the NAIA Division II Women’s Basketball National Championships. It took a monster game from Charnelle Reed to stave off the upset bid and allow St. Francis to hold off the Bobcats, 87-83, in double overtime in the first round on Wednesday evening.

Head coach Samantha Quigley Smith’s squad has survived and will advance to the second round and will fifth-seeded Tabor (Kan.) (27-6) at 12 p.m. on Friday. One play away from sending shockwaves throughout the nation, UC Merced ends its season at 17-12 overall.

The Bobcats were making their third-straight appearance at the national tournament. They have been a No. 8 seed in each instance and were flattened by Morningside in both 2015 and 2016. Led by guard Christina Castro and her 20 points, UC Merced led in the final minute of the fourth quarter and then again in overtime. Castro’s seemingly impossible toss at the rim put the Bobcats up, 69-67, with under 50 seconds left in regulation.

Reed just kept willing St. Francis back. She forced the first overtime with a bucket. She tallied 11 of her game high 34 points during the two extra sessions. Any time the Fighting Saints (32-1) needed a big score, they fed the ball to Reed. She scored St. Francis’ final five points of the contest as the primary reason why her side avoided the upset.

The Fighting Saints also got 22 points and 10 rebounds from Kaitlin Aylward. Kamari Jordan chipped in 10 points. St. Francis shot 42.9 percent (30-for-70) from the floor and outrebounded UC Merced, 50-38.

The Bobcats had to play the second overtime without Castro, who fouled out in the first overtime. Backcourt mate Courtney Danna then fouled out late in the second overtime. Danna finished with 18 points and four rebounds. Off the bench, Aubrey Hayes added 12 points and five rebounds. Brittany Martinez had seven points and 11 rebounds. UC Merced was held to 38.8 percent shooting.