Cleveland State Wins the 2021 WBI In Thrilling Fashion

The final game of the 2021 Women’s Basketball Invitational might have been the best one as Cleveland State University earned the title with a 67-64 victory over the University of Portland on Sunday, Mar. 21. The reformatted WBI featured eight teams from across the country in a 12-game, bracketed event. All games were played on the campus of Kentucky State University, an HBCU located in Frankfort, KY.

The Ramblers of Loyola University-Chicago finished the weekend 1-2 by claiming a 74-55 victory over Abilene Christian University in the first consolation game on Sunday. Then, in the first of three straight one possession games, Florida International University of Conference USA got a free throw from Emerald Ekpitata with :03 left on the clock to claim the 59-58 win over Manhattan College.

The third place game also saw late game heroics as Northern Arizona University claimed third place with a 51-48 victory over Stetson University. NAU’s Regan Schneck converted on a free throw with :04 left to give the Lumberjacks the three-point lead. NAU held on as Stetson could not convert on it’s final possession.

In the event finale CSU and Portland battled back and forth all night in a game that saw the lead change hands numerous times. Portland took a three-point lead on an Emme Shearer layup with 2:02 to go in the game. The Vikings of CSU tied the game a minute later when Tournament Most Valuable Player Mariah White converted on an old-fashioned three point play to make it 62-all with 1:00 remaining. Freshman Destiny Leo hit the shot of the game when her three-pointer from the right wing put CSU ahead 65-62 with 20 seconds remaining. Portland scored a layup to cut the lead to one with :08 left. Cleveland State’s Isabell Gradwell drained two pressure free throws to give CSU the 67-64 lead with :05 remaining in the game. Portland was not able to get a game-tying shot off as the Vikings held on for the title.

Destiny Leo of Cleveland State joined her teammate Mariah White on the All-Tournament team. Other members of the squad were Alex Fowler of Portland, Khiarica Rasheed from Northern Arizona, Jamiya Turner of Stetson and Jiselle Thomas of FIU.