Exciting Quarterfinals Propel Top Seeds Forward in 2026 A-10 Women’s Basketball Tournament (3-6-26)
By: Xavier Jones
Headline Photo Credit: Arturo Jones-LMS Network
Henrico, VA — The quarterfinal round of the 2026 Betterment Atlantic 10 Women’s Basketball Championship delivered a mix of nail-biting drama and dominant performances on Friday, March 6, at the Henrico Sports & Events Center. Top-seeded Rhode Island survived a Kate rally from Loyola Chicago, while No. 4 Davidson edged out Saint Joseph’s in a gritty battle. No. 2 George Mason needed overtime and a buzzer-beater to advance past Dayton, and No. 3 Richmond cruised to a convincing win over La Salle. These results set up intriguing semifinal matchups on Saturday: Rhode Island vs. Davidson at 11 a.m. ET and George Mason vs. Richmond at 1:30 p.m. ET, both airing on CBS Sports Network.
The day’s action showcased the conference’s depth, with standout individual efforts, clutch plays, and resilient comebacks highlighting why the A-10 remains one of the most competitive mid-major leagues in women’s college basketball. Here’s a detailed breakdown of each quarterfinal matchup.
No. 1 Rhode Island 71, No. 8 Loyola Chicago 64
Top-seeded Rhode Island (26-4, 16-2 A-10) methodically wore down a feisty Loyola Chicago (14-17, 9-9 A-10) squad to secure a 71-64 victory, advancing to the semifinals for the third consecutive year. The Rams built an early advantage and fended off a furious fourth-quarter rally from the Ramblers, who cut a 16-point deficit to just five but couldn’t complete the upset.
Rhode Island jumped out to a 16-10 lead after the first quarter, fueled by sharp shooting from beyond the arc, including two three-pointers from Brooklyn Gray. The Ramblers fought back in the second, opening with a 7-0 run capped by a fast-break bucket from Alexus Mobley and a three-point play by Alex-Anne Bessette, briefly taking a 17-16 lead at the 6:24 mark. Brooklyn Vaughn added a layup to keep Loyola ahead momentarily, but Rhode Island responded with a 5-0 spurt to close the half at 29-24.
The third quarter saw the Rams pull away, shooting an impressive 62.5% from the field to outscore Loyola 24-18 and extend the lead to 53-42. Early in the fourth, Rhode Island pushed the margin to 60-44, seemingly putting the game out of reach. However, Loyola mounted an 11-0 run, powered by Mobley’s interior dominance and aggressive drives, narrowing the gap to 60-55 with 3:24 remaining. The Ramblers outscored Rhode Island 22-18 in the final period and held a 38-30 edge in points in the paint overall, but the Rams iced the win at the free-throw line, going 20-of-24 for the game, including a perfect 8-of-8 in the fourth.
Brooklyn Gray led Rhode Island with 16 points, including three triples, while Palmire Mbu contributed 14 points and six rebounds, and Albina Syla added 13 points. For Loyola, Mobley notched a double-double with 19 points (8-of-17 shooting) and a season-high 11 rebounds—her second career double-double. Vaughn scored 16 points on efficient 7-of-11 shooting with two steals, and Bessette chipped in 10 points and seven rebounds. Loyola shot 42.4% from the field and committed a season-low seven turnovers, but Rhode Island’s 13-12 bench scoring edge and free-throw accuracy proved decisive.
No. 4 Davidson 64, No. 5 Saint Joseph’s 59
In a hard-fought clash, No. 4 Davidson (21-11, 12-6 A-10) held off No. 5 Saint Joseph’s (20-12, 11-7 A-10) for a 64-59 win, advancing to the semifinals and tying head coach Gayle Fulks with Annette Watts for the most program victories as 144. The Wildcats’ balanced attack and suffocating defense in the clutch were the difference, as all 11 players who saw action scored.
Davidson built a 17-10 lead after the first quarter, capitalizing on five Hawk turnovers for 10 points. Saint Joseph’s battled back, outscoring the Wildcats 34-29 across the second and third quarters to trim the deficit to two points entering the fourth. With 4:52 remaining, the Hawks grabbed a three-point lead, but they managed only two field goals the rest of the way. Charlise Dunn tied the game with a crucial three-pointer, and Davidson sealed the victory with six free throws down the stretch. Dunn also drew a key charge in the final minute to preserve the win.
The Wildcats dominated bench scoring 28-5 and shot 41.3% from the field, 42.9% from three, and 80% from the line. Katie Donovan paced Davidson with 13 points (3-of-5 from three, 4-of-4 free throws), while Dunn added 12 points, five rebounds, and four field goals (including two threes). Candice Lienafa contributed nine points (4-of-4 free throws), and Emilie Bessell scored eight. Davidson grabbed 25 rebounds, forced 19 turnovers (leading to points off turnovers), and recorded 10 steals, compared to Saint Joseph’s 33 rebounds and nine steals.
No. 2 George Mason 87, No. 7 Dayton 85 (OT)
In the thriller of the day, No. 2 George Mason (22-8, 16-2 A-10) outlasted No. 7 Dayton (17-14, 9-9 A-10) 87-85 in overtime, thanks to Louis Volker’s buzzer-beating layup. The Patriots overcame a sluggish start and foul trouble to force extra time and snatch victory.
Dayton shot 70% in the first quarter but committed seven turnovers, allowing George Mason to lead 20-17 despite Kennedy Harris scoring 11 of the Patriots’ first 15 points. In the second, Ajok Madol’s personal 8-0 run and Molly O’Riordan’s basket helped Dayton go 6-for-6 from three, while George Mason struggled (2–for-10 overall, 0-for-5 in the quarter). Shantavia Dawkins’ layup gave Dayton a 38-32 halftime edge.
The Flyers extended their lead to 11 in the third behind Nayo Lear’s scoring and Nicole Stephens’ three-pointer, shooting 61.5% in the period. The fourth saw Dayton tie it after a timeout with Lear’s layup, but George Mason erupted for a 10-0 run, led by Zahirah Walton’s eight points. After missed free throws and Lear’s tying shot, the game went to overtime.
In OT, the teams traded blows until Walton’s and-one (missed free throw) and O’Riordan’s inbounds tie. Hawa Komara’s shot was blocked, but Volker grabbed the rebound and banked in the game-winner.
Harris led George Mason with 22 points, Walton added 20 points and seven rebounds, and Maliyah Johnson scored 13. The Patriots shot 49.4% and scored 26 points off 21 Dayton turnovers. For Dayton, Fatima Ibrahim had 18 points and nine rebounds, Madol 15, Lear 14 (including a game-tying three), O’Riordan 14, and Stephens 13. The Flyers dominated the paint with 46 points and went 14-for-15 from the line.
No. 3 Richmond 70, No. 6 La Salle 51
No. 3 Richmond (26-6, 15-3 A-10) dominated No. 6 La Salle (18-13, 10-8 A-10) 70-51, marking their sixth straight win over the Explorers and advancing to the semifinals for the fourth consecutive season. The Spiders’ suffocating defense and efficient offense built an insurmountable lead early.
Richmond raced to a 12-1 lead at 5:31 in the first, sparked by Rachel Ullstrom’s layup, Ally Sweeney’s steal-to-basket, Sam Dewey’s transition three, and Sweeney’s back-to-back layups off turnovers. La Salle closed to 14-9, but Tierra Simon and Ullstrom scored inside for an 18-12 edge after one. In the second, Maggie Doogan’s and-one and Sweeney’s free throws pushed it to 23-12, with Doogan adding a layup and three for 28-16. A 10-2 run, including layups from Ava Persichetti and Rayne Wright, gave Richmond a 41-21 halftime cushion.
La Salle’s 7-0 third-quarter run cut it to 41-28, but Doogan’s jumper and Perischetti’s three rebuilt the lead to 48-30. Wright’s three-point play made it 53-35 entering the fourth. A flagrant foul on La Salle led to three free throws for a 56-35 advantage, and despite an 8-0 Explorers run to 64-51, Simon and Dewey’s free throws plus Wright’s steal-to-layup sealed the win.
Doogan starred with 13 points, eight rebounds, and five assists—her 31st double-figure game in 32 outings. Sweeney added 12 points, six rebounds, four assists, and two steals; Simon 11 points; and Wright 10 off the bench. Richmond shot 43.9%, dished 15 assists on 25 makes, scored 40 in the paint, and forced 19 turnovers for 12 points. Their bench outscored La Salle, and they won fast-break points 16-7.
With these results, the A-10 semifinals promise more excitement as the conference crown–and an automatic NCAA Tournament bid—hang in the balance.
