Battle of rated teams meet in holiday tournament

December 27, 2016

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