Rochester, MN - No.11 seed Onondaga Women's Basketball on the No. 6 seed Owens Community College in the first round of the National Championship at the Rochester Regional Sports Center. The scheduled 6pm CT tip was delayed to 6:35pm due to the previous game. 

The two teams met in the beginning of the 24-25 season on Onondaga's campus at the annual Winter Classic where Owens took a 71-70 win over the Lazers in the SRC Arena.

Onondaga came out hungry for redemption over the Express taking a quick 6-0 lead after threes from Amiya Johnson and Brianna Weaver. The shooting continued as the team went 4-9 from three in the 1st quarter. Six Lazer turnovers in the 1st gave Owens scoring opportunities that converted to just 2 points going 4-16 from the field. The Lazers led 16-12 at the end of the 1st.

Brianna Weaver continued to stay hot from outside in the 2nd quarter going 2-4 from three. Her second gave the Lazers their largest lead of the half, 34-19. Owens went on a 15-6 run to end the half and close the margin to a 6-point lead for the Lazers. Onondaga controlled the boards in the first half out-rebounding the Express 22-11. Precious Gabriel had 9 rebounds and 5 blocks.

The first points of the half came two minutes in, on a layup from Gabriel to extend Onondaga's lead to 10. The Express scored 14 points in the 3rd quarter from the freethrow line, with OCC committing 11 personal fouls. Weaver and Johnson both put up two three's in the 3rd quarter to hold onto their slight edge, 64-58.

Fatigue set in for Owens as Onondaga ran away from the Express in the 4th quarter outscoring them 24-10, resulting in a 88-68 final score. Kathryn Grainger and Gabriel each scored 11. Gabriel grabbed 5 rebounds adding to her total of 15 on the day, earning a double-double with 15 points. Grainger rose to the occasion with a double-double as well leading the Lazers with 26 points and 12 rebounds. Weaver wasn't far behind with 22, 6-13 from three. Amiya Johnson topped off the day with 14 of her own.

The 20-point win advances the Lazers to tonight where they'll take on No. 3 Minnesota West at 7pm EST in the quarterfinal round.

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