MARQUETTE’S Liza Karlen (32) goes up against Texas’ Taylor Jones (44) on Saturday during their NCAA college basketball game in the Battle 4 Atlantis at the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island. Photo: Tim Aylen/Bahamas Visual Services via AP)
By RENALDO DORSETT
Tribune Sports Reporter
rdorsett@tribunemedia.net
The championship game for the 2022 Women’s Battle 4 Atlantis will feature a pair of undefeated teams and a tournament filled with upsets sets the stage for an exciting finish this afternoon at the Atlantis resort’s Imperial Arena.
The Marquette Golden Eagles (5-0) and the UCLA Bruins (5-0) will meet in the finale at noon, broadcast live on ESPN.
The Golden Eagles’ path to the championship game included a 68-61 win over the no.3 Texas Longhorns in round one and yesterday’s 70-66 win over the Gonzaga Bulldogs to advance to the title game.
This marks Marquette’s best start to a season since 2010-11 and the fourth 5-0 start in programme history.
“I’m not sure this was the prettiest basketball game we’ve seen since the tournament started, but I’m just really thrilled with the win,” said Marquette head coach Megan Duffy.
“We had a statement programme win against Texas, then came back with the same grit and determination to win a little bit differently.
“I thought we had great contributions by our bench and in a tournament with three games in three days you’re going to have to have different people step up, and that was definitely the case this afternoon.”
UCLA opened the tournament with a 72-65 win over the South Dakota State Jack Rabbits.
The Bruins also remained undefeated with yesterday’s 80-63 win over the no. 11 Tennessee Lady Volunteers.
“Different people stepped up. Different people made contributions, and I’ve just talked to this team about earning confidence and what kind of habits are you willing to commit to so that we can grow into becoming a special team,” said Bruins head coach Cori Close.
The Bulldogs and Lady Volunteers will meet in the third place game at 2:30pm, broadcast live on ESPNU.
The Bulldogs pulled away late for a 79-67 overtime win over the no. 6 Louisville Cardinals in their tournament debut. They came up just short in the semifinals against Marquette.
In its brief history, the Women’s B4A has been established as one of the premier early season tournaments with a series of ranked teams participating each year.
In 2021, the then no.1 South Carolina Gamecocks won 73-57 over the no.2 UConn Huskies in the championship game at the Atlantis resort’s Imperial Arena.
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