Defending Champion Simmons to Face Ozark Christian in the 2025 NCCAA Division II Women's Basketball National Championship Game

Minneapolis, MN – The championship stage is set as defending national champs (4) Simmons College of Kentucky will face the comeback kids of (3) Ozark Christian College at 6:30 p.m. CT in Minneapolis for the 2025 Division II Women's Basketball National Championship. Simmons would earn an 81-70 victory over the top seed to advance, while Ozark Christian would come from 15 points down to take down the host North Central. Action will begin tomorrow at 2 p.m. CT with the 5th place game. 

Semifinal One: #4 Simmons College Kentucky – 81, #1 Pensacola Christian College – 70

    •    In the first semifinal top seeded Pensacola Christian College and defending National Champion Simmons College Kentucky traded buckets early. Neither side could gain a lead larger than five through the first 10 minutes of play. Simmons was led by Precious Hereford's nine points as they held a 23-19 lead at the end of the first quarter. 

    •    A steal from Asia Cochran and a layup from Morgan Defoor gave Simmons a 10-point lead with just over five minutes to play in the second quarter. Seconds later Defoor would hit another layup to make it a 12-point edge and force Pensacola Christian into a timeout. 

    •    Pensacola made a small run to cut it back to single digits, but it was short lived as Calise Mathis was able to get multiple offensive rebounds and put back buckets to help Simmons hold a 44-34 lead at the half. Sky Boyd led all scorers at the half with 13 for Pensacola Christian. 

    •    In the third quarter Pensacola Christian would slowly chip away at the deficit using the fast break. The Eagles got it down to as low as low as three after a three ball from Lydia Adams. Simmons would get to the line late in the third quarter and convert to advance the lead back to five, 60-55 at the end of the third quarter. 

    •    Morgan Defoor would step up early in the fourth quarter hitting two massive threes to increase the Simmons lead to 10 with 7:24 to play. Abby Matney would later bank a three in for Pensacola Christian to cut the Simmons lead back to six at 71-65. 

    •    Simmons would not let Pensacola any closer, forcing 20 turnovers on the game to earn the 81-70 semifinal victory and advance back to the NCCAA Division II Women's Basketball National Championship Game. Simmons saw 30 bench points in the win from Precious Hereford and Calise Mathis to secure the victory.

Action will conclude tomorrow with three games. The Championship is set for 6:30 p.m. CT with the fifth place and third place games set to take place at 2:00 p.m. CT and 4:15 p.m. CT. Track the action by visiting the Division II Women's Basketball National Championship page here.

For more information on the NCCAA, visit our website, thenccaa.org, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter/X, and Instagram at @thenccaa.