PENSACOLA, Fla. — The Argos (17-12, 13-9 Gulf South) saw their season come to a close with a 69-61 defeat to Union University (22-9, 16-6 Gulf South) in a nail-biting quarterfinal matchup at Fred DeLay Gymnasium. Despite tying the game 10 times and holding the lead 12 times, the Argos were ultimately undone by 22 turnovers.

Isabel Grimes shone with 17 points, hitting 6 of 7 free throws and dishing out four assists. Maddy Rendall added 12 points, sinking two shots from beyond the arc, and grabbed four boards. Janai Jordan chipped in five points and four rebounds, while Amelia Bell contributed six points and pulled down seven rebounds.

The first quarter was a back-and-forth battle. The Argos and Bulldogs exchanged leads, with Finley Kennedy tying it up with two free throws at 9:15 after a bucket from Union's Morgan Escobedo. Grimes was pivotal, nailing a three-pointer at 1:55 and a layup with 48 seconds left to briefly edge ahead. But Union's Olivia Lee tied it at 18, and Katie Yoder's buzzer-beater put the Bulldogs up 20-18 to end the quarter.

Bell kicked off the second quarter for the Argos with two free throws at 9:35, trimming the deficit to 23-20. Lee quickly answered for Union with a three-pointer, but the Argos rallied. Kennedy's layup and Grimes' free throws tied it at 23. A series of key plays followed, with Jakeria Hawkins scoring off a Grimes assist at 3:41 to take the lead. Jordan kept the momentum with a jumper at 1:37, and Hawkins' basket with 14 seconds on the clock gave the Argos a 34-31 lead. Union trailed 34-33 at halftime, despite Lee's two late free throws.

The third quarter saw the Bulldogs pull ahead with a scoring burst, including a three from Courtney Zensen, nudging them in front 40-38 at 6:50. The Argos fought back with Rendall's consecutive three-pointers, reclaiming a slim 44-43 lead. However, the Bulldogs pushed back to 49-45 with 2:48 left. The quarter stayed tight, with Avery O'Connor's clutch free throws tying it at 51 as it wound down. Grimes snagged a defensive rebound to set up a high-stakes final period.

In the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs seized control, starting with Lee's layup and a jumper that pushed the lead to 60-55. Zensen's three-pointer at 3:44 and Yoder's shot from downtown at 2:13 extended Union's lead to 66-57. Grimes kept battling for the Argos, making a layup at 1:32 and two free throws in the dying seconds to narrow the gap to 67-61. Despite her efforts, Union held firm, with Roberts and Yoder sealing the 69-61 victory with late free throws.