HIGH POINT, N.C. – Presbyterian College are going to women’s basketball’s Big Dance. They may not dance for long, but the Blue Hose are going to sally forth to the hardwood floor.

PC has never won a Big South tournament … until now. Radford went down, 60-37.

Neither team led by more than two points during a hard-fought first half.

Bryanna Brady, Presbyterian’s sixth-year post from Goodyear, Ariz., led the Blue Hose into the final quarter with a 36-32 lead. She hit 8/9 field goals and 5/6 free throws, grabbing five rebounds.

Mara Neira’s three-pointer with 8:50 remaining hiked the Blue Hose lead to 39-32. Neira scored again inside to boost the edge to nine. PC entered the game’s final five minutes with a 10-point lead and pulled swiftly away.

The Blue Hose started the season fast, experienced a dry spell when conference play got underway, and roared down the stretch at the end, which, as a result, doesn’t. Presbyterian (20-14) lost four straight games in February, but roared down the stretch with eight victories in the final nine games … to date.

PC lost four players to injury during the season.

“I can’t believe it,” Sharp said, “Our kids are really tough. They have a resilient spirit about themselves, and you could see it.

“Our defense held them to 37 points. … I don’t think anyone could stop our kids this tournament. They were motivated.”

Obviously.

As the clock wound down, the Highlanders’ best player, Ashlyn Traylor-Walker, fouled out and shoved Neira, effectively ending any flickering hope. Brady’s three-point play gave PC its final margin.

“We lost our last regular season game (to Charleston Southern) by 19 points, and we went back to the locker room and told each other that we weren’t going to quit on each other, and we weren’t coming home to High Point without a net around our necks,” Sharp said.

Sjokvist was the tournament MVP and joined Brady and Neira on the all-tournament team.

Where and when the Blue Hose play in the NCAA Tournament remains to be seen.

Of Brady, Sharp said, “She was awesome, and this is what she came back to do. She did not come back for a degree, a grad (degree) or anything. She came back to win a championship. I’m excited to be able to coach this with her, and I’m so proud to celebrate this with her.

“She’s a great player, and I’m so thankful that she chose us.”

Longwood pulled an upset, too, winning the men’s final over UNC Asheville.

Take a look at the stats here.

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