SIOUX CITY, Iowa, March 17, 2022- The Battlin' Bears defended well in the 2022 NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship Round of 16. Rocky and Wayland Baptist University had a defensive battle for the first three quarters, but Rocky distanced themselves in the fourth to win 66 to 53. The Battlin' Bears are now 29-4, 12-3 on the year.
 
Rocky was led on offense by Kloie Thatcher, who had 15 points, six rebounds, two assists. Gracee Lekvold recorded 13 points, seven rebounds, and two assists. The Battlin' Bears shot 42 percent from the field, 32 percent from the arc, and 60 percent from the line. N' Dea Flye scored 10 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists, to score her sixteenth double double of the year.
 
Wayland Baptist University (33-4) was led by Angel Hayden, who scored a game high 17 points, five rebounds, two assists, and two steals. The Flying Queens shot 34.4 percent from the field, 22.2 percent from deep, and 55.6 percent from the charity stripe.
 
Rocky had eight points off turnovers to the Flying Queens' 12 points. Both teams had 32 points in the paint. Rocky had ten more second chance points.
 
"The girls played great defense," Coach Keller said. "They started the game with the jitters, but they got it under control and played extremely hard. This was a great team win."
 
The Battlin' Bears move on to the 2022 NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship Round of Eight presented by Bomgaars. The Battlin' Bears will play Thomas More on Saturday, March 19 at 2 p.m. MT in Sioux City, Iowa.