Freeman's 24 Pushes Tigers into Second Round of NAIA Tournament

GEORGETOWN, Ky. – The No. 5 Georgetown College women's basketball team (23-8) defeated No. 12 Taylor University (17-13) 83-58 in the first round of the 2026 NAIA Women's Basketball National Championships hosted in Davis-Reid Alumni Gym on Friday afternoon.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Things were clicking for Georgetown in all aspects from the jump as the Tigers raced out to a quick 12-0 lead over the opening five minutes. After nearly five minutes, the Trojans got on the board but the Tigers responded with a 6-0 run. Led by 10 points from Kayra Freeman, Georgetown led 25-11 after the first quarter.

Anna Long got the scoring started in the second for the Tigers before it was Freeman who continued her dominant play, scoring the game's next eight points as Georgetown was in front 35-22 at the media break. Georgetown took a 40-27 halftime lead as both sides scored five points over the final five minutes of the first half.

Taylor cut it to a nine-point game to start the third quarter, but the Tigers did not relent. Four different Tigers scored in the third, including a big 3-pointer from Taylee Woodbury to push the Georgetown lead back out to 11. Georgetown commanded a 59-42 lead after the three quarters.

An 8-2 Georgetown run began the fourth quarter as the Tigers opened their largest lead of the afternoon in the frame. Daysha Reid's free-throw at the 4:07 mark of the fourth yielded the Tigers the 78-52 advantage, the largest of the day. Woodbury matched that total with just over two minutes to play with another 3-pointer as the Tigers cruised to the 83-58 victory.

THE TEAM 
Georgetown shot 46.3% from the field. The Tigers were 9-27 (33.3%) from deep and were 12-18 (66.7%) at the free-throw line. GC outrebounded TU, 47-42. The Tigers picked up 15 assists and had more steals, 13-8.

THE PLAYERS
* Kayra Freeman had a team-high 24 points with four assists and four steals.
* Daisy Gale added 20 points with 14 rebounds and four assists.
* Daysha Reid finished with 13 points and three rebounds.

UP NEXT
The Tigers take on #4 Loyola New Orleans (25-4) tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. in Davis-Reid Alumni Gym to try and advance to the Round of 16.