WASHINGTON, D.C. – Bella Nascimento scored a game-high 33 points, including 20 in the second half, leading William & Mary's comeback 66-63 win in the 2025 Credit Union 1 CAA Women's Basketball Championship Game on Sunday at CareFirst Arena.
The win secured the Tribe's (15-18) their first-ever NCAA Tournament berth, entering the CAA Championship as the tournament's No. 9 seed. No. 3 seed Campbell (21-12), playing in its first CAA title game, was making its fourth finals appearance in its last six conference tournaments (2019, 2021, 2022 in Big South Conference).
With Campbell ahead 51-38 after an
Olivia Tucker three with 2:02 to play in the third quarter, W&M made its final five shots of the frame, mounting an 11-2 run. The run included its second buzzer beating triple of the day, this time from Rebekah Frisby-Smith, cutting the CU lead to 53-49.
Nascimento then continued the run for the Tribe to open the fourth, connecting on a drive to make it a two-point game.
William & Mary's first lead came with 6:45 to play on Cassidy Geddes' three pointer, 56-55, and the Tribe held off Campbell, with Nascimento scoring eight of their 10 points to close the game.
Campbell jumped out to a 14-0 lead to start the game, making five of its first nine shots, and led 20-9 at the end of the first quarter. Despite nine second quarter points from Nascimento, who banked in a three-point heave at the halftime buzzer, the Camels took a 34-26 advantage into the break behind a combined 21 points from
Courtney Dahlquist and
Gianni Boone.
After trailing by as many as 14, William & Mary cut the Campbell advantage to seven on back-to-back Frisby-Smith threes, making it 45-38 with 3:07 to go in the third, prior to its decisive run.
The Tribe outscored Campbell 17-10 in the fourth quarter, shooting 58.6 percent (17-29) in the second half to overcome the deficit, with Nascimento hitting 9-of-14 second half shots.
Nascimento made 14-of-26 shots on the day, adding 11 rebounds with two assists and a block for the Tribe, while Frisby-Smith added 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting from deep with four rebounds and two blocks. Geddes also posted 10 points with three steals.
Dahlquist led Campbell with 19 points on 8-of-13 shooting, including 3-of-7 from three, with three rebounds, while Boone finished with 15 points, adding four rebounds and a pair of steals.
Gemma Nunez also chipped in 13 points with five rebounds and six assists, while Tucker registered eight points, and
Jasmine Felton contributed eight broads and two points.
Audrey Fuller also collected a team-high 11 rebounds with two assists and a block.
Following the game, Dahlquist and Nunez were named to the all-tournament team.
