SUPERIOR, Wis. – The University of Minnesota Morris women's basketball team is back on top of the UMAC for the first time since 2014-15 following a thrilling 69-60 win over the University of Wisconsin-Superior on Saturday in the conference title game. The Cougars will roll into the NCAA Tournament carrying an overall record of 17-10.

Jay Kwateh – who would set a program single-season steals record in this contest – opened the scoring on the first possession of the game before UW-Superior came back with five straight points. After the Cougars got within one, the Yellowjackets went on a 7-0 run to take their largest lead of the game at 12-4. Coming off the bench, Shelby Mortenson worked hard in the paint and established good post position to end the run before Alice Wilkinson found Maddy Grove in transition for a short jumper that made it 12-8. Mortenson and Claire Stark kept things close the rest of the way as UW-Superior took a 19-15 lead after the end of one.

A Malory Anderson three-ball got Minnesota Morris started in the second quarter and Jadyn Sondrol followed that up with another to give the Cougars a 21-20 edge before Grove used a drop-step to put UMN Morris up by three. The final Minnesota Morris lead of the half came at 29-28 after Lexus Redthunder and Grove had buckets at the rim, but UW-Superior scored the final five of the half to take a 33-29 lead at the break.

Both teams found their stride offensively in the third quarter as the lead traded hands multiple times. Grove scored the first three points of the half to bring it back to one, followed by a putback from Stark and then a post feed from Stark to Mortenson to put Minnesota Morris ahead, 36-35. UW-Superior took a 45-40 lead with less than four minutes to go in the frame, but Mortenson started and ended an 8-0 run to put the Cougars back ahead. After Mortenson banked in a long two, Malory Anderson and Mortenson converted consecutive three-point plays. A long two from the Katie Dobson of the Yellowjackets just before the buzzer left the game knotted at 50-50 heading to the fourth.

Grove's play on Saturday helped the first-year guard earn Tournament MVP honors and she opened the final quarter with a bucket to give Minnesota Morris a lead it wouldn't relinquish the rest of the way. After an offensive lull from both teams, Grace Perry got things going again with a three-pointer at the seven-minute mark. Kwateh then immediately knocked the ball away and was fouled on the fast break before knocking in both free throws to give the Cougars a 57-50 advantage. 

UW-Superior scored with just over six minutes left to break its drought, but Kwateh and Wilkinson had consecutive field goals to push the lead to nine with under five minutes to go. The lead reached 10 for the first and only time when Grove made one of two at the line with 2:21 left, pushing the margin to 66-56. 

In the final minute, Wilkinson, Sondrol, and Mortenson all hit free throws to extend the lead as UW-Superior went ice cold from the field. Known as a good three-point shooting team, the Yellowjackets went 0-for-6 in the fourth quarter from distance and finished just 5-of-24 for the game. After one final miss from UW-Superior, Kwateh grabbed the board and time expired in Grove's hands as the team and the large Minnesota Morris cheering section began their celebration.

Grove finished with a game-high 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting, while also chipping in three assists and three steals. Mortenson added 17 points and seven boards off the bench. All four other starters for Minnesota Morris had six points, with Anderson also snaring seven rebounds and Kwateh finishing with four steals.

The Cougars will learn their first-round opponent on Monday when the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Selection Show airs on NCAA.com beginning at 1:30 p.m.