McCutchins, Defense Power Send Reinhardt to AAC Semis in Kingsport

KINGSPORT, Tenn. — A decisive third-quarter surge and a stingy defensive effort lifted Reinhardt Women's Basketball to a 56–46 win over Johnson Royals in quarterfinal action Thursday night in Kingsport at the AAC Tournament.

The Eagles led by just one at halftime but broke the game open after the break, using multiple 3-pointers and relentless on-ball pressure to build a double-digit cushion they would not relinquish. I'ziah McCutchins paced Reinhardt with 17 points and four rebounds, while the Eagles held Johnson to 29.6% shooting from the field and forced 17 turnovers.

Reinhardt carried a 25–24 lead into the locker room after Taylor Collins beat the buzzer with a layup to close the second quarter. Coming out of halftime, the Eagles seized control behind a 20-point third quarter, outscoring Johnson 20–9 in the frame. McCutchins buried a 3-pointer with 1:57 left in the third to extend the margin to 45–30, capping a key run that turned a tight contest into a comfortable advantage.

Johnson made brief pushes in the fourth quarter, but Reinhardt's defense consistently disrupted the Royals' rhythm. The Eagles finished with 10 steals and just three turnovers, turning Johnson's mistakes into points in transition. Late in the fourth, Chloe VanDyke sliced to the rim for a layup that pushed the lead to 56–42 with 2:46 remaining, effectively sealing the outcome.

Offensively, Reinhardt shot 24-of-64 (37.5%) from the floor and connected on five 3-pointers. Emariah Grant added 11 points and three steals in 25 minutes, providing energy on both ends, while Londaisha Smith chipped in eight points, three rebounds, and two steals in 30 minutes. The Eagles overcame a 46–32 deficit on the glass by winning the turnover battle and converting extra possessions into scoring opportunities.

Johnson stayed close early behind the play of Megan Biliter and Olivia Bolduc. Biliter finished with 13 points and seven rebounds in 34 minutes, and Bolduc totaled 12 points, four rebounds, and three assists in 33 minutes. The Royals matched Reinhardt with five 3-pointers and went 9-of-10 at the free-throw line, but their 17 turnovers and 2 steals compared with Reinhardt's 10 steals proved costly.

Reinhardt led 16–15 after the first quarter on a late layup by McCutchins and maintained that one-point edge at the half after Collins' buzzer-beater. From there, the Eagles' third-quarter run and closing defensive stands defined the night, as they built a lead that grew to 15 before Johnson's final possessions. The win moves the Eagles into the semifinals of the AAC Tournament, where they will face the Pioneers of Spartanburg Methodist.  The Pioneers knocked off Bryan College on a last-second shot that was the upset of the tournament so far.

The semifinal matchup between Reinhardt and Spartanburg Methodist is scheduled for Friday evening in Kingsport at 8 pm.  The winner advances to the finals set for Saturday afternoon at 3 pm.