Battle of rated teams meet in holiday tournament
EAST PEORIA, Ill. - The No. 17 NIACC women's basketball team faces No. 15 Kalamazoo Valley in the opening round of the Stoney Creek/Cougar Holiday Tournament on the Illinois Central campus on Wednesday.
Game time is set for 4 p.m.
It is the sixth straight season that the Lady Trojans have played in the annual Illinois Central eight-team holiday tournament. The Lady Trojans placed fourth last season and were third in the 2012 and 2013 tournaments.
The winner of Wednesday's first-round matchup faces the winner of the No. 19 Illinois Central/South Suburban contest at 4 p.m. Thursday in the semifinals.
The NIACC/Kalamazoo Valley loser faces the Illinois Central/South Suburban loser at noon on Thursday.
NIACC (6-5 overall) split a pair of games Dec. 16-17 in the Kansas City area. The Lady Trojans topped MCC-Penn Valley 87-73 and dropped a 88-72 decision to No. 5 Johnson County CC.
NIACC is led by Cierra Stanciel, who averages 12.6 points per game. The Lady Trojans also receive 11.0 points a game from Hattie Davidson and Kelsie Willert.
Kalamazoo Valley (6-1) is led by KaLeah Ryan, who averages 20.6 points per game. Next in line is Chloe Salman, who averages 15.1 points per game.
Kalamazoo Valley's lone loss was a 78-55 decision to No. 3 Owens CC on Nov. 18.
NIACC's statistical leaders
Scoring - Cierra Stanciel 12.6 ppg.; Hattie Davidson 11.0 ppg.; Kelsie Willert 11.0 ppg.
Rebounds - Morgan Cuffe 5.5 rpg.; Davidson 4.8 rpg.; Stanciel 4.8 rpg.
3-point goals - Taylor Laabs 24, Willert 22, Davidson 20.
Assists - Stanciel 30, UU Longs 28, Laabs 26.
Steals - Laabs 24, Stanciel 24, Longs 18.
Wednesday's first-round games
Noon - Cincinnati State vs. Sauk Valley
2 p.m. - McHenry County vs. Kirkwood
4 p.m. - NIACC vs. Kalamazoo Valley
6 p.m. - Illinois Central vs. South Suburban
Thursday's games
10 a.m. - Cincinnati State/Sauk Valley loser vs. McHenry County/Kirkwood loser
Noon - NIACC/Kalamazoo Valley loser vs. Illinois Central/South Suburban loser
2 p.m. - Cincinnati State/Sauk Valley winner vs. McHenry County/Kirkwood winner
4 p.m. - NIACC/Kalamazoo Valley winner vs. Illinois Central/South Suburan winner
Friday's games
10 a.m. - 7th place game
Noon - 5th place game
2 p.m. - 3rd place game
4 p.m. - Championship game
NIACC women's basketball team 2016-17
When NIACC Then NIACC is
Leads at halftime 6-0
Trails at halftime 0-5
Tied at halftime 0-0
Plays in overtime 0-0
Scores less than 60 points 0-2
Scores between 60-69 points 1-2
Scores between 70-79 points 0-1
Scores between 80-89 points 1-0
Scores between 90-99 points 1-0
Scores 100 or more points 4-0
Allows less than 60 points 0-0
Allows between 60-69 points 2-1
Allows between 70-79 points 3-2
Allows between 80-89 points 0-1
Allows between 90-99 points 0-1
Allows 100 or more points 0-0
Game decided by 1-3 points 0-0
Game decided by 4-6 points 0-0
Game decided by 7-10 points 0-2
Game decided by 11-14 points 1-1
Game decided by 15+ points 5-2