BRUNSWICK, Maine – Senior
Jaycie Christopher (Skowhegan, Maine) had 16 points, seven rebounds, and four rebounds to lead the No. 21 University of Southern Maine Huskies to a 62-46 win over the Johnson & Wales University Wildcats in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball National Championship Tournament hosted at Bowdoin College's Morrell Gymnasium Friday night.
Christopher was one of four Huskies' in double-digit scorer with her game-high 16. Senior
Avah Ingalls (Hampstead, NH/Pinkerton Academy) and sophomore
Lucy Wiles (Glenburn, Maine) each had 11 points, while freshman Izzy Morrelli (New Gloucester, Maine/Gray-New Gloucester) came off the bench for 10 points and seven rebounds. Ingalls finished the game with six rebound and four assists, while Wiles added three steals. Sophomore
Dakota Shipley (Bath, Maine/Brunswick) had eight points, 15 rebounds, three blocked shots and two assists.
Tahlia Pena led JWU with 14 points off the bench on 7-for-16 shooting adding five rebounds. Brianne Foley had 13 points, six rebounds, and five steals for the Wildcats, while Mikayla Caruso had 12 points and 10 rebounds.
The Records:
Johnson & Wales University (23-5)
No. t21 Southern Maine (26-2)
Today's game marked the first meeting between the Huskies and Johnson & Wales University Wildcats. The Huskies win over the Wildcats is the first win in the NCAA tourney since a 74-63 win over RPI on March 5, 2010.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- After not scoring a field goal for the first 3:35 of the game, Southern Maine trailed the Wildcats 4-3 following a pair of free throws from Wiles. Wiles' free throws ignited a 13-0 run highlighted by an and-one play from Shipley and a driving layup from Christopher to lead 15-4 with 1:27 to play in the quarter. Southern Maine took a solid 18-8 lead into the second. Shipley led the way with six points, while Wiles and Ingalls each at five.
- Southern Maine outscored the Wildcats 16-10 in the second quarter and took a 34-18 lead into the halftime break. Morelli scored six of her 10 points in the frame, and snagged five rebounds in a huge effort in reserve.
- In the third both teams exchanged opening baskets and Ingalls reverse layup at 9:15 had the Huskies ahead comfortably 36-20. Another layup from Ingalls at 5:39 had the Huskies' ahead comfortably 40-22 before JWU rattled off 13 unanswered points to make it a five-point game 40-3 with 2:07 to play in the quarter. Pena had six of the Wildcats' 13 points in the run.
- Senior graduate student Liz Cote (Conway, NH/Kennett) hit a clutch three at the 1:48 mark to stop the JWU run and put USM up eight, 43-35. Both team went scoreless over the next minute and Morrelli came up big again knocking down a short jumper after a Wiles' steal and Christopher assists for a 45-35 lead with 45 seconds left. Pena scored the final bucket of the third to keep her team within eight, 45-37 headed to the fourth.
- Wiles set the tone for USM in the fourth with a driving layup and an and-one play to put USM up 11, 48-37, early. Morelli followed with her career-high 10th point of the game. JWU pulled to within 10 twice, and trailed 56-46 with 4:26 to play on a layup from Caruso, but it was the final points of the game for Wildcats as the Huskies' clamped down on defense for the 62-46 final.
Inside The Statistics:
- Southern Maine held Johnson & Wales leading scorer Grace Jaffray scoreless in the win. Jaffray entered the game the third-leading scorer in NCAA Division III women's basketball at 23.7 points per game.
- Led by Shipley's game-high 15 rebounds, Southern Maine led on the boards 48-41.
Up Next:
Southern Maine will face the winner of the Bowdoin College vs. Emmanuel College first round game on Saturday, March 7 (7:45 pm). The game will be played at Bowdoin's Morrell Gymnasium in Brunswick, Maine.
-cac-
