March 1, 2010

RedStorm women prepare for MSC Tournament

Rio Grande --- The University of Rio Grande RedStorm women's basketball team will face off with Lindsey Wilson College in the quarterfinal round of the 2010 Mid-South Conference Tournament on Thursday (March 4) at the Frankfort (KY) Convention Center.

Rio Grande (16-14, 7-7 MSC), the No. 5 seed, and Lindsey Wilson College (19-10, 8-6), the No. 4 seed, will tip-off at Noon EST. Stretch Internet will have play-by-play coverage beginning at 11:50 a.m.

Rio Grande split the season series with the Blue Raiders, winning at home, January 14 in the MSC opener at the Newt Oliver Arena by a score of 79-67. The RedStorm were lethal from long range in that game, nailing 15-of-25 (60 percent) from beyond the arc. Junior forward Leah Kendro (Strongsville, OH) scored 23 points to lead Rio Grande. Fellow juniors Jenna Smith (Bellefontaine, OH) added 20 points and Bre Davis (Marietta, OH) scored 15 points and dished out 10 assists. Davis enters the tournament as the top playmaker in the Mid-South Conference, averaging 5.1 assists per game. Kendro is the No. 1 FT. PCT shooter in the MSC and the NAIA at 91.9 percent (114-of-124). 

The trio of Smith (15.0 ppg.), Kendro (14.7 ppg.) and Davis (9.4 ppg.) lead the way for the RedStorm.

The RedStorm lost the return match at Lindsey Wilson, February 11, 91-69. Smith scored 20 points in that game while Davis added 14 and freshman forward Olivia Brown (Maple Heights, OH) tossed in 11 points off the bench.

LWC is paced by perennial MSC all-league performer Viktoria Krell (16.9 ppg, 10.2 rpg.). Sierra Rambert (12.5 ppg.) and Lindsey Waters (9.9 ppg.) also average in double figures for the Blue Raiders. 

Rio Grande is scoring 70.7 points per game while allowing the opposition to score at a 68.6 clip. LWC counters with 70.7 points per game and allowing 63.6. 

Rio Grande head coach David Smalley previews the upcoming match-up. "I guarantee you every team in this league or any team that has to face us in the (Mid-South Conference) tournament has got to be concerned about us," he said. "If we shoot the ball well, we're going to create some issues for a lot of different teams."

"Krell is a great player on the inside, very physical, very strong, from a team perspective we've done a nice job on her both times we played them," Smalley added. "Down at their place we let their guard (Rambert) get away from us and we didn't shoot the ball well."

"We got the ball to the glass, they ran us off the three-point line but we just couldn't finish," he said. "We lost some confidence and then we didn't play defense as well."

"They're a great ballclub, but the good thing, it's on a neutral court and I guarantee you we'll have some very good officiating. That will give us chance. As long we have an even playing field then it comes down to, are we going to shoot the three well or not and if we do then we're capable of winning some games (at the tournament)." 

The winner faces the Campbellsville-West Virginia Tech winner in one of the semifinals at 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Campbellsville is the tournament's top seed after winning its first outright regular season championship since the 2001-02 season. The Lady Tigers have shared the regular season title three times since the 2001-02 season including last season with the University of the Cumberlands.

Campbellsville (29-1, 14-0 in the MSC) will open the MSC Tournament at 10 a.m. EST against No. 8-seed West Virginia Tech (10-19, 1-13). The Lady Tigers swept the season series from WVU Tech, including a 60-49 win on Saturday in the regular season finale.

Cumberlands (22-8, 11-3) enters the tournament as the No. 2-seed and will face seventh-seeded St. Catharine College (8-22, 2-12) at 2 p.m. EST. Cumberlands swept the season series from St. Catharine.

No. 3-seed Georgetown College (18-11, 9-5) meets No. 6-seed Pikeville College (16-14, 4-10) at 4 p.m. EST with the winner playing the winner of Cumberlands and St. Catharine in one semifinal. Georgetown won both games this season against the Lady Bears.

Thursday's winners advance to Friday's semifinals -- games are scheduled for 2 and 4 p.m. EST -- with the championship game set for 6 p.m. EST on Saturday, March 6.