Reynolds, Davis Trade Clutch Blows in Semifinal as Mid-Atlantic Edges Western Coast 78-76

Mid-Atlantic State defeated Western Coast University 78-76 in a national semifinal decided by two of the best guards in college basketball trading blows in the final two minutes.

Reynolds started it with 1:45 left, sinking a step-back three-pointer from the wing to give Mid-Atlantic a 74-73 lead.

Davis answered on the next possession. She drove baseline against two defenders, converted a contested layup and drew a foul to put Western Coast ahead 75-74 with 1:10 remaining. She missed the free throw.

Reynolds came right back. She drove into the paint, absorbed contact and finished an acrobatic layup for an and-one, pushing Mid-Atlantic ahead 77-75 with 48 seconds left. She also missed her free throw.

Davis drove again, drawing a foul with 30 seconds left. She made one of two free throws, cutting the deficit to 77-76. Mid-Atlantic secured the rebound and was fouled on the inbound.

Guard Chloe Jenkins made one of two free throws with 12 seconds left, extending the lead to 78-76. Western Coast's final three-point attempt at the buzzer fell short.

Reynolds finished with 32 points, seven assists and five rebounds, shooting 12-for-24 from the field. Davis posted 29 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks on 10-for-18 shooting. Both players logged over 38 minutes.

Reynolds is the nation's top offensive weapon and proved it again—she takes over when the game is on the line. Davis is every bit the two-way force her draft stock suggests; she nearly willed Western Coast to victory on her own. Neither player is overhyped.

"Those two players are special," Mid-Atlantic coach Sarah Chen said. "They elevate each other. You just hope your player makes one more play when it counts."

This was the third meeting between the programs this season. Mid-Atlantic won all three by an average of 4.3 points. Reynolds averaged 28.3 points in their regular-season matchups; Davis averaged 25.7 points and 12.3 rebounds.

Mid-Atlantic State, now 34-2, advances to the national championship game Sunday against top-seeded Grand Canyon Tech, which defeated Eastern Plains State 85-70 in the other semifinal.

Western Coast ends at 31-4, its season finished short of a title after a dominant run that included a 20-game winning streak. Davis is a projected lottery pick in next year's WNBA draft.

Mid-Atlantic State defeated Western Coast University 78-76 in a national semifinal decided by two of the best guards in college basketball trading blows in the final two minutes.

Reynolds started it with 1:45 left, sinking a step-back three-pointer from the wing to give Mid-Atlantic a 74-73 lead.

Davis drove again, drawing a foul with 30 seconds left. She made one of two free throws, cutting the deficit to 77-76. Mid-Atlantic secured the rebound and was fouled on the inbound.

Guard Chloe Jenkins made one of two free throws with 12 seconds left, extending the lead to 78-76. Western Coast's final three-point attempt at the buzzer fell short.

"Those two players are special," Mid-Atlantic coach Sarah Chen said. "They elevate each other. You just hope your player makes one more play when it counts."

Mid-Atlantic State, now 34-2, advances to the national championship game Sunday against top-seeded Grand Canyon Tech, which defeated Eastern Plains State 85-70 in the other semifinal.

Western Coast ends at 31-4, its season finished short of a title after a dominant run that included a 20-game winning streak. Davis is a projected lottery pick in next year's WNBA draft.