Women's Basketball | 3/16/2013 4:08:00 AM
CLASH OF THE CHAMPIONS
In one of the most tradition rich regionals in the country the 2010 National Champion Lady Hornets take on the 2009 National Champion Minnesota State Mavericks in the Central Region Semifinals. Emporia State defeated 2005 National Champion Washburn in the first round of the regional.
THE COACHES
Jory Collins is 65-26 in his third year as the head coach of the Lady Hornets and has guided them to the MIAA Tournament Championship Game three straight years, with a win this season. He has ten 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 11 of those seasons. He is 3-1 in the NCAA Tournament and 10-3 in March Tournaments. This is his first meeting with Minnesota State.
Emilee Thiesse is 26-5 in her first year at Minnesota State. This is her first meeting with Emporia State.
LAST TIME OUT
For the fifth time in nine years Emporia State has eliminated the host school in an NCAA Regional Tournament. The Lady Hornets defeated #8 Washburn 65-58 to advance to the regional semi finals. Laura Patrick had 20 points for Emporia State and was joined in double figures by Merissa Quick with 17 points and Rheanna Egli with 16 points. Quick had a game high nine rebounds. Egli held WU's Laura Kinderknecht, the MIAA and Central Region Player of the Year, to just four points on one of nine shooting from the field.
ABOUT THE LADY HORNETS
Emporia State is 22-8 on the year and were 13-5 in the MIAA. This is the 15th trip to the NCAA Tournament for the Lady Hornets and they are 29-13 all-time in NCAA Tournament play.
ABOUT THE MAVERICKS
Minnesota State is 26-5 on the year and went 18-4 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. They are ranked #17 in the WBCA USA Today Sports Top 25. The Mavericks finished second in the NSIC in both the regular season and the conference tournament. They were the only higher seeded team to win on the first day of the regional. Ali Wilkinson was a first-team All-NSIC and Central Region selection after averaging 17.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. As a team they are eighth in the nation in scoring at 76.8 points per game.
THE SERIES
The Lady Hornets won the only other meeting with the Mavericks, picking up a 75-65 win at the Lady Blues Classic in Topeka on Nov. 30, 1996.
LAST TIME VS. MINNESOTA STATE
Aneta Kausaite scored a game high 25 points and was joined in double figures by Shanna Spann and Bonnie Butell with 12 points each in a 75-65 Emporia State win over Minnesota State in the Lady Blues Classic in Lee Arena.
UP NEXT
The winner advances to the regional championship game against either Augustana or Southwestern Oklahoma State on Monday night. Tip off for the championship game is set for 7 p.m.
