Hope College, the host for the 2013 Division III women's basketball final four, moved a step closer to serving as the host team with a 71-61win over the University of St. Thomas in a NCAA III women's basketball tournament sectional semifinal at Kachel Gym in Williams Center in Whitewater, Wisconsin Friday.  Hope, 29-1, will await the winner of Friday's second game between UW-Whitewater, 23-6, and Simpson College, 27-2.  The sectional final will be played in Whitewater Saturday at 7:00.

The lead changed hands six times in the first half, with neither team able to build a comfortable lead.  St. Thomas managed a 17-9 lead on Kellie Ring's three pointer at 10:29, but Hope responded with an 11-2 run that gave the Dutch a 20-19 lead.  Twice in the remaining minutes of the half UST pulled out to a five point margin, but by halftime the Tommies clung to a one point lead, 32-31. 

It was more of the same for the first fifteen minutes of the second half.  With 7:02 left in the game Hope led 55-52.  The Dutch scored the next six points for the largest lead of the game to that point, 61-52.  A three pointer by Liz Ellis gave Hope the first double digit lead of the game, 64-54 at 3:39.  Except for a 68-59 score with 1:48 left, the Dutch held that double digit margin. 

Hope shot the lights out.  The Dutch shot 57% for the game, 65% in the second half.  Included in that mark was 9-12 shooting from beyond the arc.  Hope, which shot 48% on field goals in the first half, cooled to 42% for the game, and just 3-12 from three point range. 

Hope sophomore guard Brittany Berry led all scorers with 20 points, one of four Dutch in double figures.  Berry also contributed a game high five assists and five steals.  Senior guard Kellie Ring led four Tommies in double figures with 16 points, with junior guard Kelly Brandenburg chipping in with twelve points and five steals.

St. Thomas, a final four participant in 2012, ends the season 24-6.



TF/lf