Posted By: Richie Hall February 10, 2026
The REPORTER
University advanced to the championship game with a 48-39 semifinal win over Covenant Christian, reversing a 39-36 loss during the regular season.
The Trailblazers led for the last 30 minutes of the game but could not put the Warriors away until making all eight free throws they attempted in the last minute of the game.
Sydney Culp scored 15 of her career-high 24 points in the decisive fourth quarter. She was 6 for 6 from the charity stripe in the final minute. Leah Norvell had 16 points, eight rebounds and three assists.
University threatened to run away with the game early, racing to a 15-6 lead after the first quarter. Norvell scored the first five Blazer points, a three pointer from the left corner and a driving bucket that put University ahead to stay with six minutes left in the quarter. Sydney Culp’s three pointer from the top of the key and Mack Feeney’s rebound basket completed a 7-0 run and a 10-3 University lead. After a Covenant Christian three pointer, Sydney Culp made another three pointer and Norvell’s two foul shots closed the quarter. Norvell had seven points in the quarter and Sydney Culp six.
The Trailblazers scored just two points in the first seven minutes of the second quarter and Covenant Christian rallied to get back in the game, cutting the University lead to 20-17 at halftime.
Norvell had seven of University’s nine third quarter points and the period ended with the Blazers up 29-27.
Sydney Culp opened the fourth quarter with a three-point play to stretch the lead to 32-27, but Covenant Christian scored the next four points. Sydney Culp hit a deep three pointer to stem the Warrior rally. After a pair of Covenant Christian free throws, Gabby Culp had a three point play off an offensive rebound for a 38-33 lead. Norvell’s three pointer from the left wing made it 41-36 with two minutes left.
The Warriors cut the lead to 41-38 before University put the game away at the foul line. Sydney Culp made both charity tosses with 59.9 seconds left. After a Covenant Christian timeout Gabby Culp came up with a big steal in the right corner that led to two Sydney Culp free throws with 47.2 seconds left. After a Warrior miss, Norvell made two free throws with 21.5 remaining. Another Gabby Culp steal led to two more Sydney Culp foul shots to close the scoring.
Gabby Culp finished with seven points, a team-high 12 rebounds and three steals. Feeney played a big defensive game and had seven rebounds and five blocked shots. Blanding had three assists.
