AMHERST, MA – The Rowan University women's basketball team advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament with a 72-68 win over the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. 
 
The Profs (25-3) will play the host Amherst College (23-4) on Saturday, March 7 at 6 p.m. in the second round.  Amherst defeated Framingham State University, 70-46 in the first round.  
 
With 1:31 left in the game, guard Julia Dahlke hit a jumper and tied the score at 63 for the Mariners.  Rowan guard Savanna Holt answered with a three-pointer (1:15) to go ahead 66-63.  The Profs never trailed again for the remainder of the contest.  Holt sank two foul shots with 17 seconds left, which made the score 70-65.  Guard/forward Taylor Hightower cut the deficit to two (70-68) after two free throws with nine seconds on the clock.  Guard Nicole Mallard made one foul shot at 0:08 and at 0:03 to seal the win.  
 
Rowan had four players in double figures.  Holt ended with a game and a career-high 22 points, which included five three pointers.  Guard Kennedy Brown contributed with 13 points, six rebounds and four assists. Forward Eliana Santana and Mallard chipped in with 11 and 10 points respectively.  Santana grabbed eight boards while Mallard had six rebounds and six steals.    
 
Dahlke led Merchant Marine with 20 points.  Center/forward Lauren Hunter added 13 points and six rebounds. Hightower produced a double-double with 11 points and 12 boards and guard Kaleigh D'Arcy had one with 10 points and 11 rebounds.  Forward/center Madison Demos pulled down a game-high 14 boards.
 
The Profs were ahead 16-11 after the first quarter and they outscored the Mariners, 21-14 in the second for a 37-25 advantage at the half.  Holt totaled 14 points in the second quarter.  Merchant Marine came back in the third and trailed 48-45 going into the fourth.  With one second left, Brown drilled a three to give the Profs the lead.  In the second half, the Mariners had 10 points apiece from Hunter and D'Arcy.  
 
The second round winner advances to the sectionals, which are scheduled for Friday-Saturday, March 13-14 at campus sites.  The semifinals are on Friday, March 20 and the championship is on Saturday, March 21 at the Capital Center Performance Area in Columbus, OH. 
 
This is Rowan's 11^thappearance in the NCAA postseason and the first since 2016.  The Profs received an automatic bid as the New Jersey Athletic Conference Champions.  Merchant Marine was in the tournament for the second straight year.  The Mariners won the Skyline Conference title and earned the conference's automatic.  

Amherst is in the NCAAs for the 13^th straight year and it received an at-large bid. The Mammoths have won the NCAA title three times (2018, 2017, 2011) and they finished third once and fourth three times.