Women's Basketball | 3/8/2014 6:04:00 PM

Box Score
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March 8, 2014-The #7 Lady Hornets put five players in double figures on their way to a 90-69 win over Southwest Baptist in the MIAA Tournament semifinals in Municipal Auditorium.  With the victory Emporia State advances to the MIAA Championship game for the fourth straight year.

The Lady Hornets never trailed in the game but could not take more than a seven point lead in the first half.  The Bearcats shot 52.0% from the field and score 14 points off turnovers in the opening frame, while the Lady Hornets were able to hit 14 of 14 free throws and outrebounded SBU 20-14 in the first half.

Emporia State opened the second half with back to back three-pointers by Rheanna Egli and Laura Patrick to go up 47-34 with 19:19 left in the game.  The Bearcats closed to within 53-49 with 14:30 left when the Lady Hornets went on a 9-2 run to push the lead to double digits.  After a pair of free throws by SBU's Leann Lansdown cut the lead to nine with 8:02 left, the Lady Hornets put the game away with a 9-0 run to go up 71-53 with 5:36 remaining.

Merissa Quick and Egli shared team high honors for Emporia State with 16 points each while Kelly Moten added 15 points.  They were joined in double figures by Kionna Kellogg and Laura Patrick with 11 points each.  Moten added six rebounds and a team high five assists while Desiree Wylie had a team high seven rebounds to go with nine points.

The Lady Hornets will take on #8 Central Missouri on Sunday afternoon in a rematch of last year's title game won by Emporia State.  Tip-off is set for 1:07 p.m. on the MIAA Television Network.

NOTES:
Emporia State becomes the first team to play in four straight MIAA title games since Missouri Western played in seven straight from 1997-2003 and the first program to do so since the tourney moved to Municipal Auditorium in 2003.
Jory Collins is the first coach to appear in four straight MIAA Championship games in his first four years as a head coach.
This will be the first match-up of of top ten teams in the championship game since then #6 Washburn defeated then #4 Missouri Western 71-70 on March 4, 2007 and the fourth top ten matchup in MIAA Championship Game history..