Women's Basketball | 2/28/2012 5:41:00 PM
MARCH MADNESS AT THE MUNI
The Lady Hornets open play in the MIAA Tournament against Truman at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo. ESU has four tournament titles and is 26-12 (.686) in 16 trips. ESU is 14-2 in first round games with an 8-1 record in KC. The Lady Hornets are 52-24 all-time in the MIAA and NCAA Tournaments. Since the MIAA Tournament moved to KC in 2003, ESU has made it to the Championship game four times and have advanced to the semifinals in eight of the nine tournaments.
LAST TIME OUT
Heather Robben scored 25 points on nine of 12 shooting to lead #22 Emporia State to a 73-64 win over Ft. Hays State. Neither team led by more than five points in the first half as the teams went to the half tied at 28. In the second half ESU went on a 6-0 run capped by a Robben jumper with 10:20 left for a 45-40 lead. The Lady Hornets would not trail again and eventually pushed the lead to ten points. Robben was joined in double figures by Jocelyn Cummings with 15 points. Kelsey Balcom and Merissa Quick led ESU with nine rebounds while Balcom had a career best four blocks.
THE COACHES
Jory Collins is 39-16 in his second year as the head coach of the Lady Hornets. He is 2-1 in the MIAA Tournament and 5-6 vs. Top 25 teams. This is his 11th season on the Lady Hornet coaching staff and ESU has advanced to the NCAA tournament in eight of his ten previous seasons. He is 3-1 against Truman.
Michael Smith is 48-59 in his fourth year at Truman. He is 0-1 in the MIAA Tournament. He is 1-7 against ESU.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Truman is 17-9 overall, 11-9 in the MIAA and have won five straight coming into the tournament. Becka McHenry is the leading scorer for TSU at 14.0 points per game and recorded a triple-double with 14 points, ten rebounds and ten assists against Pittsburg State.
THE SERIES
The Lady Hornets lead the all-time series 41-7 and has won 20 of the last 22 meetings. The Bulldogs gave ESU just their second MIAA Tournament first round loss in 2008. ESU is 2-1 all-time in the MIAA Tournament against TSU.
LAST TIME VS. TRUMAN
The #17 Lady Hornets hit just two of 16 three pointers in a 78-60 loss at Truman. The Bulldogs hit three straight from behind the three point line to open the second half and turn a three point game into a 14 point deficit. ESU jumped out to a 6-0 lead and held a five point lead with 9:50 left in the half. TSU then went on a 10-2 run to take the lead for good. The Bulldogs took their biggest lead of the night at 66-46 with 5:42 left before the Lady Hornets went on an 8-0 run to cut the lead to 12 with 4:40 remaining. TSU, who was 13 of 26 from the line going into the final five minutes, hit eight straight from the line to secure the win. Rachel Hanf led ESU with 13 points while Kathryn Flott had a career high 12 points, Heather Robben added 11 and Jocelyn Cummings had ten points for ESU. Hanf led ESU with seven rebounds.
UP NEXT
The winner will take on either Pittsburg State or Lincoln in the Tournament Semifinals. Tip-off will be at 2:15 on Saturday, March 3.
