Bates Women's Basketball Eliminated from NCAA Tournament

Undefeated Scranton Royals cruise to 76-59 victory in third round

Mar. 14, 2026 at 12:51am

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The Bates Bobcats were unable to recover from an early 25-3 run by the undefeated Scranton Royals and fell 76-59 in the third round of the NCAA Division III women's basketball tournament on Friday night in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Scranton jumped out to a big lead early and never looked back, led by 23 points from Katie Gorski and a double-double from Kaci Kranson.

Why it matters

This loss ends Bates' impressive tournament run, as the Bobcats were one of the final 16 teams remaining in the Division III bracket. Scranton, meanwhile, continues its undefeated season and advances to the quarterfinals as one of the top contenders for the national title.

The details

Scranton opened the game on a 25-3 run in the first quarter, forcing six Bates turnovers in the first five minutes to take early control. The Bobcats were never able to get closer than 15 points the rest of the way. Gorski led the Royals with 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting, while Kranson added 17 points and 11 rebounds. Bates was led by 18 points from senior Elsa Daulerio in her final college game, along with 16 points from fellow senior Sophie Spolter.

  • The game was played on Friday, March 13, 2026.

The players

Katie Gorski

A standout player for the undefeated Scranton Royals, Gorski led her team with 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting in the victory.

Kaci Kranson

Scranton's Kaci Kranson recorded a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds to help lead her team to the win.

Elsa Daulerio

Bates senior Elsa Daulerio scored a team-high 18 points in the final game of her college career.

Sophie Spolter

Bates senior Sophie Spolter added 16 points in the losing effort for the Bobcats.

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What they’re saying

“We must have been a little nervous or intimidated early on, but I'm proud of how our team battled back and competed the rest of the way.”

— Elsa Daulerio, Bates Senior

What’s next

Scranton will advance to the NCAA Division III women's basketball quarterfinals, where they will face the winner of the matchup between Amherst and Tufts.

The takeaway

This loss ends a strong season for the Bates women's basketball team, who made an impressive run to the third round of the NCAA tournament. Meanwhile, undefeated Scranton continues to be one of the top contenders for the Division III national championship.