Championship Central (follow this link throughout the week for updated results, bracket, schedule, ...)

NEW YORK I No. 1 U.S. Merchant Marine Academy will host No. 2 Mount Saint Mary Saturday at noon in the Skyline Conference Women's Basketball Championship.

The two earned semifinal wins tonight to set up the top-seeded final. 

The Mariners are headed to their fifth championship game in the last six seasons after they used a strong second-half effort to defeat visiting No. 4 Farmingdale State, 70-52, inside a loud Liebertz Gymnasium.

Merchant Marine won its 23rd-straight game to tie the program record for victories in a season, as they improve to 24-1, while the Rams close out the season with an 18-9 record.

Three players scored in double-digits for USMMA, as reigning Defensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year Carolae Barton (below) picked up a double-double with a team-high 16 points to go along with 12 rebounds. Hannah Ramsden and reigning Player of the Year Emily Grasseler also notched a double-double with 10 points, while also leading all players with 14 rebounds.
 
Meantime, MSMC advances after defeating Mount Saint Vincent, 68-51, at a booming Kaplan Center. The Knights got a career-high 19 points from Lauren Petrie as she went 8 of 11 from the field with five rebounds in the convincing win. Kate Hughes added a season-high 15 points, while All-Conference First Team selection Briana Guglielmo notched a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds. 

The Mariners won the season series over the Knights in a pair of close matchups (68-65 on Jan. 10 and 68-62 on Feb. 15). 

RECAPS
USMMA 70, Farmingdale State 52 
Mount Saint Mary 68, Mount Saint Vincent 51