Women's Basketball | 3/2/2012 5:41:00 PM
MARCH MADNESS AT THE MUNI
The Lady Hornets take on Lincoln in the semis of the MIAA Tournament at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo. ESU has four tournament titles and is 27-12 (.692) in 17 trips. 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 nine of the ten tournaments.
LAST TIME OUT
Kelsey Balcom hit a three-pointer from the top of the key with :00.7 seconds left to give #24 Emporia State a 64-63 win over Truman in the first round on Thursday. TSU took the lead with a free throw from Becka McHenry with 2:22 left at 60-59 and went up three on a pair of free throws from McHenry with 1:56 remaining. Rheanna Egli pulled ESU to within 62-61 on a lay up with 1:31 left. McHenry made one of two free throws with 16.1 seconds left to put TSU ahead 63-61. The Lady Hornets called timeout with 12.3 left to set up the final play. Balcom found herself open at the top of the key and nailed the three pointer. Merissa Quick led ESU with 20 points and was joined in double figures by Heather Robben with 14 points and Balcom with 11 points.
THE COACHES
Jory Collins is 40-16 in his second year as the head coach of the Lady Hornets. He is 3-1 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 4-0 against Lincoln.
Katie Vaughn is 29-50 in her third year at Lincoln. She 0-4 against ESU.
SCOUTING THE BLUE TIGERS
Lincoln is 15-12 on the year after upsetting Pittsburg State in the first round of the MIAA Tournament. Arrianna Walker scored an MIAA tournament record 39 points in the first roundwin over PSU. They qualified for the MIAA Tournament for the first time since 1986 and won a program best eight conference games this year. Vivian Essuon is averaging 15.6 points and 9.7 rebounds per game.
THE SERIES
The Lady Hornets lead the all-time series 18-2 and have won 12 straight against the Blue Tigers. ESU has won all eight meetings in Jefferson City, with the two wins by Lincoln both coming in White Auditorium. This is the first time the two have met in the MIAA Tournament.
LAST TIME VS. LINCOLN
The #20 Lady Hornets had four players in double figures as the picked up a 62-57 road win at Lincoln. ESU jumped out to a 10-2 lead to open the game, capped by back to back three-pointers by Rachel Hanf. LU came back to take the lead at 27-26 on Dahlia Booker’s lay-up with 2:40 left in the half. Kelsey Balcom answered with a three pointer with 1:54 left to give the Lady Hornets the lead for good. The Lady Hornets hit four of six free throws in the final two minutes to seal the win. Balcom and Merissa Quick both scored 13 points to lead the Lady Hornets and they were joined by Hanf with 11 points and Heather Robben with ten points.
UP NEXT
The winner will advance to the MIAA Championship Game at 1 p.m. on Sunday against either Washburn or Central Missouri.
