Women's Basketball | 3/10/2013 1:10:00 PM
THIRD TIME'S THE CHARM
The Lady Hornets return to the MIAA Tournament Championship game for the third straight year and will face a third different team in Central Missouri. This is Emporia State's tenth MIAA Championship game and the 12th for the Jennies.
THE COACHES
Jory Collins is 63-26 in his third year as the head coach of the Lady Hornets and has guided them to the MIAA Tournament Championship Game in each of his first two seasons. He has eight wins against Top 25 teams. This is his 12th season on the Lady Hornet coaching staff and Emporia State has advanced to the NCAA tournament in ten of those seasons. He is 6-2 in the MIAA Tournament. He is 4-2 against Central Missouri, 1-0 in MIAA Tournament games.
Dave Slifer is 169-95 in his ninth year at UCM and 552-194 in his 23rd season overall. He is 18-34 all-time against ESU, 8-15 at UCM and 10-19 while at Missouri Western. He is 4-8 against Emporia State in the MIAA Tournament, 2-3 at UCM and 2-5 at MWSU. His Griffon teams lost four straight MIAA Championship games to Emporia State in White Auditorium.
LAST TIME OUT
Emporia State advanced to the championship game of the MIAA Tournament for the third straight year with a 61-54 win over #9 Washburn. For the second time in the tournament Emporia State jumped out early, getting out to 9-0 and 15-2 leads in the first six minutes. The Lady Hornets would never trail and never let the lead get below two possessions. Laura Patrick led Emporia State with 14 points including a four of five effort from behind the three-point line.
ABOUT THE LADY HORNETS
Emporia State is 20-8 on the year and were 13-5 in the MIAA. The Lady Hornets led the MIAA in scoring in conference play.
ABOUT THE JENNIES
Central Missouri is 24-4 and went 14-4 in the MIAA. They were the top scoring team in the MIAA on the season. Keuna Flax joined the team at semester and would be leading the MIAA in scoring if she had played in enough games to qualify for the leaders. Shelby Winkelman scored 42 against the Lady Hornets but suffered a season ending injury in the next game.
THE SERIES
The Lady Hornets lead the all-time series 36-31. The two have met nine times in the post season with ESU holding a 5-2 lead in the MIAA Tournament and a 4-0 lead in NCAA Tournament play.
LAST TIME VS. CENTRAL MISSOURI
The #21 Emporia State Lady Hornets dropped to 0-2 in the MIAA for the first time in school history following an 84-63 loss at #23 Central Missouri. Three Lady Hornets scored in double figures led by Merissa Quick's 19 points but could not overcome a career high 42 points from the Jennies Shelby Winkelmann.
UP NEXT
The winner receives the MIAA's automatic qualifier for the NCAA Tournament to be played next weekend. The NCAA selection show will be webcast tonight at 9 p.m. on ncaa.com. Emporia State was tenth in the last regional poll and have beaten two teams ranked ahead of them.
