MIDWAY, Ky. -- The Midway women's basketball team punched their ticket to the River States Conference Tournament Championship on Saturday (Feb. 26) following a thrilling victory over IU East (Ind.) in the semifinals in Marshall Gymnasium.

Unlike their quarterfinal victory, Saturday's contest was a back-and-forth thriller that saw nine ties and seven lead changes. The Eagles took a 34-31 lead into the locker room before closing the third on a quick 4-0 run to take a slim 50-48 edge into the fourth quarter.

After they extended their lead to five early in the fourth, Midway never looked back. The Red Wolves cut the deficit to one with 2:41 remaining and then two with 28 seconds left, but the Eagles never wavered as they pulled away for a 70-62 victory.

With the win, Chris Minner's squad extends their win streak to a season-high 10 games improving to 25-6 on the season. The win also avenges an 81-69 loss to the Red Wolves in their only regular season matchup five weeks ago on Jan. 22.

Midway now turns their attention to the River States Conference Tournament Championship where they'll battle top-seeded and East Division Champion, Rio Grande (Ohio) on Tuesday (March 1). Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET in the Newt Oliver Arena in Rio Grande, Ohio.

The RedStorm punched their ticket to Tuesday's finale after defeating West Virginia Tech on a game-winning putback as time expired. With Rio Grande's win and Midway's win, the Eagles have clinched an automatic berth to the NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship Opening Round for the first time in program history.

Saturday's win saw the Eagles get off to a bit of a slow start as they faced a 5-2 deficit three minutes into the contest. Midway finally found their footing thanks to the play of Allyson Callahan (Morehead, Ky.) – who led the way in the quarterfinals with a game-high 26 points.

The fifth-year senior nailed a triple as she scored seven straight points to help guide her team to a 13-8 advantage following one quarter of play.

IU East battled back early in the second tying the game at 21, but a layup followed by another triple from Callahan helped give Midway a brief 26-21 edge. The Red Wolves dialed up an answer to the tune of an 8-2 run before taking a 29-28 lead late in the first half. Midway responded with a 6-0 run of their own as they would take a 34-31 edge into the locker room.

The third stanza saw the visitors card a 63.6 percent shooting clip, but they had no answer for Dezeree White who took over in the third. The junior from Houston, Texas scored 12 points in the quarter including 10 straight at one point as Midway took a 50-48 lead into the final frame.

Midway extended their lead to five on two separate occasions and would have chances to stretch it further, but the pesky Red Wolves never went away. They cut the lead to two on three occasion before Caitlin McEldowney nailed a trey cutting it to one with 2:41 left.

Following a miss on Midway's end, IU East had a chance to take the lead, but a turnover prevented that as Callahan hit 1-of-2 at the charity stripe to push the lead back to two.

After forcing a miss on the defensive end, Keia McCullogh (Nashville, Tenn.) stepped up nailed a 15-foot jump shot to push it back to four with under a minute remaining. A pair of free throws by Taylor Browning got IU East within two, but that would be as close as they got.

With the shot clock turned off, the Red Wolves were forced to put Midway on the free throw line where they didn't miss. Dezeree White went 2-for-2 before another IU East turnover put Kindall Talley (Frankfort, Ky.) on the line who also went 2-for-2 making it a six-point lead.

After another steal by Talley, the crowd sensed victory as the junior once again hit a pair at the charity stripe to seal the 70-62 victory and a spot in the NAIA National Tournament for the first time in program history.

Dezeree White was absolutely magnificent for the Eagles as she eclipsed the 30-point mark for the third time this season. The junior scored a game-high 30 points hitting 14-of-25 from the floor, while she also added eight rebounds, three seals and two assists in the win.

Allyson Callahan followed up her 26-point performance with a 17-point, five-rebound, four-assist outing on Saturday. Jalyn Jackson (Cold Spring, Ky.) chipped in six points, eight assists and four steals, while Kindall Talley also did it all with six points, six steals, five rebounds and three assists. Keia McCullogh added six points and four boards, while Leah Shelley (LaCenter, Ky.) grabbed eight rebounds in 16 minutes off the bench.

Both teams struggled to shoot over 40 percent as the difference in the game was turnovers and points off turnovers. Midway held a 21-10 edge in turnovers which led to a dominant 30-2 advantage in points off turnovers.

Coach Minner's squad now turns their attention to Tuesday night's finale which is set for 7 p.m. ET in Rio Grande, Ohio.

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