DIX HILLS, NY – The #1 women's basketball team entered the North American Conference for Intercollegiate Athletics (NACIA) Tournament Saturday to play the Championship Final and were upset, 72-65 by the #3 ranked Sound from Five Towns College. The host school pulled out the victory and earned the conference's automatic bid to the upcoming USCAA Tournament. 
 
THE BASICS:
SCORE: Five Towns 72, Bloomfield 65
LOCATION: Dix Hills, N.Y. | Sound Arena – Five Towns College
ALL-TIME MEETINGS: Five Towns 1-2, Bloomfield 2-1

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Bloomfield's offense struggled from the onset converting only 3 shots in the opening quarter and The Sound took advantage, going up 21-10 after the first period. 
• The Bears settled in and cut their deficit to just one (33-32) by the end of the second quarter. 
• At the break the top-ranked team saw their senior forward, Anisha Able put up 18 points. By the end of the championship final, Able set a new career-high with 29 points and added 18 rebounds for her 18^th straight double-double.
• Five Towns capitalized in the third frame on pour shooting from Bloomfield (17.7 percent) and pushed ahead, 58-43.
• Down the stretch the Cinderella storied Sound held off the Bears who got as close as four (65-61) on a three-point play from Nia Mallette.
• Mallette finished the game with a double-double, snagging 11 rebounds to go along with 22 points.  
• The setback snapped a Bloomfield seven-game win-streak.

UP NEXT:
 
The Bears now awaits 'Bid Day' on February 24^th when they will learn who they face in the USCAA National Championship Tournament to be played in Buffalo, NY in March. Watch Bid Day Live by Clicking Here
 
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CHAMPIONSHIP GAME VIDEO

About the NACIA

In April 2025, The United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA), North American Conference for Intercollegiate Athletics (NACIA) and university officials announced  the formation of the first formal USCAA Division 1 conference in the history of the long standing Association

Original members of the NACIA included: the Bryant & Stratton campuses of Albany, Buffalo, Cleveland, and Rochester, Berkeley College, Five Towns College and Villa Maria College.  Newest member Bloomfield College of Montclair State University joined the group in July, 2025.

The NACIA looks to build a conference that provides positive athletic experiences and serves member institutions and their student-athletes while advancing the overarching goals of the USCAA.  As noted by  Five Towns College President Dr. David M. Cohen: "We look forward to expanding the number of sports, teams, and intercollegiate opportunities available to our student athletes. We also invite other institutions of higher education seeking a new home for their athletic programs to explore membership in the NACIA."

About the USCAA

The USCAA is a national governing body that exists to provide opportunities for small colleges to compete against institutions for National Championships and student-athlete recognition.  The 70-member association was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.