HAYWARD, Calif. — The Cal State East Bay women's basketball team's magical, historic season came to an end on Monday night, as the Pioneers fell short in the NCAA Division II West Region Semifinals to Western Washington, 73-59, at Pioneer Gym.

It was the first-ever appearance in the NCAA West Region Final in program history, which followed victories this weekend over Academy of Art in the quarterfinals and Azusa Pacific in the semifinals.

Senior guard Madison Schiller scored 15 points with two steams, and was named to the West Region All-Tournament team. Freshman Taylor Linze was just shy of a double-double, finishing with nine points and 10 rebounds.

Zhane Duckett and Mina Tameliau recorded matching stat lines with eight points and six rebounds, as East Bay lost for the first time since Feb. 3. CSUEB (24-3) had won nine-straight games entering Monday's contest.

The Pioneers forced Western Washington into committing 18 turnovers, but still found themselves trailing at halftime, 40-27. East Bay fell behind by as many as 16 in the third quarter, but bounced back to pull within 50-43 after two free throws by Duckett with 1:34 to go in the period.

It was the closest they would get however, as Western Washington All-Tournament Team performers Brooke Walling and Emma Duff scored 16 points apiece to seal the Vikings' trip to the Elite Eight.

Winner of the 2022 CCAA Tournament for the third time in program history, Cal State East Bay recorded its most wins in a season since 2015-16, despite having six contests canceled during the season due to COVID protocol.


2022 NCAA Division II West Region All-Tournament Team

Brooke Walling, Western Washington (MVP)
Emma Duff, Western Washington
Madison Schiller, Cal State East Bay
Samantha Bowman, Central Washington
Paige Uyehara, Azusa Pacific