GREENVILLE, Ill. – The Spalding women's basketball team overcame a fourth quarter deficit to knockoff Westminster, 75-67, to advance to the SLIAC championship game Saturday afternoon. With the win the Golden Eagles run their winning streak to 13 straight games and 20-6 overall.

THE BASICS
THE SCORE: Spalding 75 – Westminster 67
LOCATION: H.J. Long Gymnasium| Greenville, Ill.
RECORDS: Spalding 20-6 | Westminster 17-9

HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Golden Eagles took control early jumping out to a quick 5-0 lead fueled by a Megan Goeing three-pointer and Tse Gahagan jumper. SU pushed the lead to nine points following a Hunter Wright layup to go ahead, 20-11, but a Blue Jays jumper at the buzzer trimmed the lead to seven at the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter, the Blue Jays were on the attack cutting the lead to one point on the three different occasions, and the Golden Eagles clinged to a, 35-34, lead at the break.

- After a quick 4-0 spurt by Goeing and Wright to start the third quarter, the Blue Jays made their run and the Golden Eagles found themselves trailing, 49-44, with 2:31 to play in the third. Both teams went shot for shot with freshman Maleah Hirn coming up with two big shots to answer Blue Jays baskets on the other end to keep the game in reach. Trailing 53-48 to start the fourth, the Golden Eagles imposed their will, Wright knocked down a pair of jumpers in the paint to cut the deficit to one, Just went 4-of-4 from the free throw line and Hirn drilled a three-pointer in transition to put SU on top by seven, 60-53. The Blue Jays cut the lead to four with 3:18 to go, but the Golden Eagles closed out making clutch shots down the stretch and converting at the free throw line.

NOTABLE STATS
- The freshman duo of Hirn and Wright fueled the Golden Eagles offense combining for 40 of the teams 75 points. Wright was riddled by foul trouble most of the evening, but was dominant while on the court recording 23 points, 6 rebounds, 5 steals and 3 blocks in 21 minutes of action. Hirn came off the bench to score 17 points going 5-of-10 from the field and converted 5-of-6 free throw attempts. Allison Just also finished in double figures with 14 points, while senior Alex Martin tallied nine points and four assists.

FOR THE FOES
-  Kendahl Adams led the Blue Jays with 19 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists, while Mikalyn Callahan had 15 points and 6 rebounds.
 
UP NEXT
- The Golden Eagles are back in action Saturday taking on #1 seeded Greenville as SU looks to win their third SLIAC championship. Tip-off is 2:00 pm ET in Greenville, Ill.