Women's Basketball | 3/10/2013 7:52:00 PM
Box Score Box Score in html
March 10, 2013-Merissa Quick scored 22 points to lead the Emporia State Lady Hornets to a 67-51 win over #13 Central Missouri in the MIAA Tournament Championship Game on Sunday afternoon in Kansas City, Mo. It was the fifth MIAA Tournament Title for Emporia State and the first one wonin Kansas City.
After jumping out to big leads early in quarterfinals and semifinals, the Lady Hornets and Jennies went back and forth for the first ten minutes in the final. There were six lead changes and two ties in the first 10:16 before Rachel Hanf hit back to back three-pointers to give the Lady Hornets the lead for good. Nicole Caddell hit a layup with 44 seconds left to cut the lead to five but Rheanna Egli delivered a three pointer with 21 seconds left to give the Lady Hornets a 31-23 lead at the half.
The lead stayed between five and 12 for most of the second half until the Lady Hornets closed the game on a 12-5 run thanks to a combined six of six effort from the free throw line by Hanf, Quick and Haley Parker and six more points in the paint from Quick.
Quick was joined in double figures by Hanf with 17 points and Egli with ten points and seven assists. Jocelyn Cummings led Emporia State with 11 rebounds.
Keuna Flax and Nicole Caddell each had double-doubles for Central Missouri, but the rest of the team combined for just 20 points and 13 rebounds.
Quick was named the Most Outstanding Player for the Tournament and was joined on the All-Tournament team by teammate Laura Patrick, UCM's BreAnna Lewis and Keuna Flax, along with Kate Lehmann of Ft. Hays State.
With the win, the Lady Hornets have secured their 15th trip to the NCAA Tournament in the last 17 years. They will find out who and where they are playing on the NCAA Division II Selection Show tonight at 9 p.m. (CT) on ncaa.com.
NOTES
The win was Emporia State's fifth in ten MIAA Championship game appearances.
It was the first time the Lady Hornets won the MIAA Championship game outside White Auditorium.
The Lady Hornets are now 31-13 all-time in the MIAA Tournament.
The Lady Hornets are now 55-40 all-time against ranked teams and 4-2 this season against teams in the top 25.
Rachel Hanf passed Andrea Leiker for 18th in Lady Hornet career scoring and now has 1,182 points.
