PROVIDENCE, R.I. --  Back in the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Sweet 16 for the first time in almost two decades (third time in program history) Bates College saw its storied season come to a close as #7 Wartburg College stunned the Bobcats at the buzzer, 54-53, to advance to Saturday's Elite 8.

With the victory, the Knights (28-2), playing in their sixth Sweet 16, advance to the Elite 8 for the fifth time in program history. Wartburg will play Washington & Lee University for the right to go to the Final Four, Saturday at 7:30 p.m., in a contest hosted by Rhode Island College.

The Bobcats connected on four of their first seven shots of the night, building a 9-4 lead heading into the first quarter media timeout (4:41). A layup and subsequent free throw from junior Alexandra Long (Newtown, Pa.) at the 4:09 mark made the score 12-4 Bates. 

First-year Sarah Hughes (Rumson, N.J.) poured in a three-pointer (2:01) and a driving lay-up (1:10) to put the 'Cats up by 11 (17-6), establishing the high-water mark for either team in the game.

A stifling Bobcat defense (and a raucous Bates traveling party) held the Knights to 4-for-14 shooting from the field (28.6%) over the first 10:00, while causing four Wartburg turnovers. In contrast, the Bobcats sizzled by hitting 7-of-11, good for a 63.6% clip.

Wartburg snapped back in the second as three-pointers from Macy Harris (9:27) and Natalie Bearbower (8:46) sliced the deficit to 19-14. Jaedon Murphy hit a pair of treys of her own at 4:54 and 3:47 of the period to make it 24-20 Bates.
Leading 24-21, Hughes' driving lay-in gave the first-year six second-quarter points, and a game-high 12 heading into intermission.

Harris (6:59) parted the Bates defense for a layup 3:01 into the third quarter to tie the score at 28-all. Ava James snapped the stalemate with a three-pointer at 5:39, followed by Hughes' third from deep (4:41) to put the garnet and white back up by six in a blink (34-28).

Both teams netted six apiece over the remaining four-plus minutes to carry a 40-34 score into the final frame of regulation play. 

Senior captain Morgan Kennedy (Oklahoma City, Okla.) hit a jumper 20 seconds into the period (9:40), putting the Bobcats ahead by eight (42-34). Wartburg answered with a Murphy lay-up and a Sara Faber three-pointer to slice the lead to 42-39 (8:10).

Wartburg took its first lead of the night with 5:45 left when Brittany Young buried a three-ball to put the Knights ahead, 47-46, and add to what would eventually turn into a 16-6 run to start the fourth.

Kennedy hit from deep at 2:23 to end the surge, and put the trailing Bobcats back within one at 50-49. The senior added a successful floater soon after (1:14) to slide Bates into the lead (51-50), sending the Bates contingency into a frenzy.
Wartburg, looking to counter on the offensive end, suffered its most crucial turnover yet, as an errant bounce pass by Young found the mitts of sophomore Elsa Daulerio (Harpswell, Maine).

After an immediate timeout by head coach Alison Montgomery, Kennedy connected for another layup (providing her seven-straight points), making it 53-50 Bates with just 23 ticks on the clock.

Wartburg's Murphy slipped in a layup of her own at the 11-second mark to put the Knights down by just one (53-52).

Bates missed a pair of crucial free throws with 7.2 seconds left, and Wartburg was provided one last opportunity to create some magic. A Bobcat foul and timeout by the Knights with four seconds to go set the stage. 

An inbound pass from Young in Wartburg territory found Harris, who proceeded to stun the Bobcats with what would be the game-winning lay-up with just 0.1 to go.

Turnovers were a factor throughout the game as both teams combined for 35 miscues, resulting in 15 points for Wartburg (17 TO's), and 12 for the Bobcats. Poor free throw shooting was also an issue for Bates and the Knights, combining for an unsightly 5-for-18 (28%) from the charity stripe.

Murphy topped the victors with 14 points. Harris, with her game-winning hoop, finished with 13 points, shooting 60% from the floor. Faber followed with 11 points for Wartburg while Young grabbed a game-best 11 boards.

Kennedy, in her final game sporting the garnet and white, led all players with 17 points (8-for-16 from the field). Daulerio tallied 10 points and a team-best four steals. Hughes finished with 15 points on the night, missing only one field-goal attempt (6-for-7).

Bates ends its historic campaign at 24-6, the second-most wins in one season in program history.