ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (Mar. 5, 2026) – The 2026 Air Force Reserve Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Women’s Basketball Championship at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall began on Thursday afternoon with first round action. No. 8 Manhattan University and No. 7 Sacred Heart University earned wins in the first round and advance to the quarterfinal round tomorrow.
No. 8 Manhattan – 64 | No. 9 Marist – 55
Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall | ATLANTIC CITY, NJ
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In game one of the first round, Manhattan defeated Marist, 64-55. The Jaspers took control early to tip off the first round matchup. Senior guard Brianna Davis led the charge, scoring 19 of the 43 first half points, while Hana Muhl chipped in with nine points of her own for Manhattan. Manhattan held an advantage as large as 20 in the half leading, 32-12 with 7:44 remaining in the second quarter following a Daivs three. Marist used an 8-0 run to cut into the lead and eventually ended the first half on a 20-11 run to cut the deficit to 43-32 at the break.
The second half was a much more sluggish pace, as the teams combined to score 24 total points in the third quarter (13 by Manhattan, 11 by Marist). Marist was able to cut the game to five points with 1:46 left in the 4
th, but it would not be enough as Manhattan willed their way to the victory and escaped the nine point win.
Manhattan Notes and Notables
- The Jaspers never trailed, leading for 39:21 in the wire-to-wire triumph.
- Manhattan’s defense caused 15 turnovers – 11 steals – leading to 22 points off of turnovers.
- Two Jaspers scored in double figures, led by a team-high 25 points from Davis and 12 points from Muhl.
- Davis finished 8-for-16 from the field and a perfect 7-of-7 at the charity stripe and added a team-high four steals, to go along with four rebound and three assists.
- Muhl led the Jaspers with six assists and chipped in five rebounds and three steals.
- Colette Mulderig added nine points for Manhattan in the win.
- Agar Farres Garcia led the squad with a game-high 10 rebounds.
- Manhattan finished with 26 points in the paint and nine second chance points.
- Manhattan will be making its ninth straight appearance in the quarters dating back to the 2017 championship.
- Manhattan will meet the top-overall seed Quinnipiac tomorrow at 12:00 p.m. in the quarterfinal round.
Marist Notes and Notables
- The Red Foxes were led by Justine Henry, Lexie Tarul, and Julia Corsentino in scoring.
- Henry finished her afternoon with a team-high 15 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and one block.
- Tarul scored 10 points, also adding seven boards, with two assists, a block and a steal.
- Corsentino had eight points, six rebounds, and a pair of steals.
- Marist bench outscored Manhattan’s 15-9, while the Red Foxes scored 24 paint points and 12 second chance points.
No. 7 Sacred Heart – 47 | No. 10 Saint Peter’s – 34
Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall | ATLANTIC CITY, NJ
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Sacred Heart beat Saint Peter’s, 47-34 in a defensive battle. Saint Peter’s came out of the gate on a 7-0 run to start the game. The Pioneers responded with a run by committee, cutting the deficit to four points at the half, with the Peacocks leading 19-17.
The pace picked up in the third quarter, when the teams combined to score 29 points. The tide turned for
Sacred Heart, as the Pios took their first lead of the game with 4:31 remaining in the frame, going ahead 26-25. From there, Sacred Heart would go on a 10-4 run to close out the quarter.
The Pioneers continued its defensive dominance into the final period, holding the Peacocks scoreless for half of the quarter, and to just five points total, leading to the 47-34 win.
Sacred Heart Notes and Notables
- All seven Sacred Heart players that checked into the game scored at least two points.
- Leading the Pios was Nalyce Dudley, who finished the game with 13 points and five rebounds.
- Missy Nuku and Amelia Wood also helped propel Sacred Heart, combining for 18 points, with Nuku scoring 10 points and Woods adding eight.
- Emma Kirby pulled down 13 rebounds, highlighted by seven off the offensive glass.
- Sacred Heart scored 20 points in the paint, 15 points off of turnovers, and had 16 bench points.
- The win was the first in MAAC postseason history for the Pioneers with this season being just the second for the team in the league.
- Sacred Heart will take on No. 2 Fairfield in the quarters tomorrow at 2:30 p.m.
Saint Peter’s Notes and Notables
- The Peacocks were led by De’Naya Rippey’s 13 point, 12 rebound double-double.
- Carys Roy also scored in double figures, ending her day with 10 points, five rebounds, and four blocks.
- The Peacocks did most of their damage in the post, scoring 20 paint points.
For all information regarding the 2026 Air Force Reserve MAAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships, please visit
MAACSports.com/basketball and by following @MAACHoops and #MAACHoops on X.
Air Force Reserve
The mission of the Air Force Reserve is to provide combat-ready forces to fly, fight, and win in air, space, and cyberspace, whenever and wherever needed. As a critical component of the United States Air Force, the Air Force Reserve supports global operations while remaining ready to respond to domestic emergencies and humanitarian efforts. It is responsible for organizing, training, and equipping Reserve Citizen Airmen to execute a wide range of missions that contribute to national defense and global security.
The Air Force Reserve offers part-time and full-time service options, enabling individuals to serve while maintaining civilian careers or pursuing higher education. Each year, the Reserve recruits thousands of enlisted and officer personnel across core specialties including Aviation, Maintenance, Intelligence, Cyber, Medical, Security Forces, and Logistics. This flexibility allows members to develop valuable skills, gain leadership experience, and serve their country with pride.
More information about Air Force Reserve careers and opportunities is available at:
https://www.airforce.com/ways-to-serve/air-force-reserve.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 13 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 45th year of competition during the 2025-26 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius University, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan University, Marist University, Merrimack College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Sacred Heart University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena University.
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