2003 NAIA Division I women's basketball tournament

The 2003 NAIA Division I women's basketball tournament was the tournament held by the NAIA to determine the national champion of women's college basketball among its Division I members in the United States and Canada for the 2002–03 basketball season.

2003 (2003) NAIA Division I women's basketball tournament
Teams32
Finals siteOman Arena
Tennessee Jackson, Tennessee
ChampionsSouthern Nazarene Crimson Storm (6th title, 8th title game,
12th Fab Four)
Runner-upOklahoma City Stars (6th title game,
6th Fab Four)
Semifinalists
Coach of the yearCraig Wiginton (Southern Nazarene)
Player of the yearKesha Watson (Oklahoma City)
Charles Stevenson
Hustle Award
Heather McNutt (Southern Nazarene)
Chuck Taylor MVPSasha Seriogina (Southern Nazarene)
Top scorerKesha Watson (Oklahoma City)
(122 points)
NAIA Division I
women's tournaments
«2002 2004»

Southern Nazarene upset four-time defending champions Oklahoma City in the championship game, 71–70, to claim the Crimson Storm's sixth NAIA national title and first since abandoning its prior Redskins nickname.

The tournament was played at the Oman Arena in Jackson, Tennessee.[1]

Qualification edit

The tournament field remained fixed at thirty-two teams, although a modification was made to the seeding system utilized for the past twelve tournaments. Instead of seeding just the top sixteen teams, all teams were sorted into one of four quadrants and seeded from 1st to 8th within that quadrant.

The tournament otherwise continued to utilize a simple single-elimination format.

Bracket edit

First round Second round Elite Eight Final Four National championship
               
1 Oklahoma City 97
8 Berry 47
1 Oklahoma City 91
5 Xavier Louisiana 53
5 Xavier Louisiana 64
4 Trevecca Nazarene 55
1 Oklahoma City 83
2 Central State (OH) 73
3 North Georgia 64
6 Oklahoma Baptist 47
3 North Georgia 65
2 Central State (OH) 76
7 Columbia (MO) 60
2 Central State (OH) 74
1 Oklahoma City 72
8 USAO 52
1 Dillard 47
8 USAO 73
8 USAO 56
4 The Master's 51
5 Pikeville 40
4 The Master's 64
8 USAO 66
7 Wayland Baptist 50
3 Montana Western 75
6 Saint Xavier 51
3 Montana Western 57
7 Wayland Baptist 68
7 Wayland Baptist 77
2 Freed–Hardeman 62
1 Oklahoma City 70
2 Southern Nazarene 71
1 Houston Baptist 83
8 Claflin 63
1 Houston Baptist 68
5 Point Loma Nazarene 75
5 Point Loma Nazarene 71
4 Campbellsville 49
5 Point Loma Nazarene 61
2 Southern Nazarene 74
3 Brescia 66
6 Lewis–Clark State 51
3 Brescia 61
2 Southern Nazarene 71
7 Brewton–Parker 40
2 Southern Nazarene 75
2 Southern Nazarene 62
2 Vanguard 49
1 Union (TN) 58
8 Langston 48
1 Union (TN) 64
5 Oklahoma Christian 65
5 Oklahoma Christian 76
4 Georgetown (KY) 62
5 Oklahoma Christian 60
2 Vanguard 61
3 Auburn Montgomery 56
6 Transylvania 57
6 Transylvania 54
2 Vanguard 70
7 Mobile 48
2 Vanguard 62

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "NAIA Women's Basketball Championship History" (PDF). NAIA. Retrieved March 16, 2022.