Top 5 showdown: No. 2 NIACC faces. No. 5 Illinois Central

PEORIA, Ill. - The No. 2 NIACC women's basketball team faces No. 5 Illinois Central at 4 p.m. Friday in the semifinals of the Illinois Central Cougar Holiday Tournament.

No. 8 Kirkwood plays No. 10 Owens CC in the other semifinal of the annual tournament at 2 p.m. Friday.

NIACC (13-1) stopped Kalamazoo Valley CC 122-58 in its first-round contest on Thursday. Sophomore Adria Stewart led the Lady Trojans with a career-high 22 points.

NIACC connected on 22 3-point goals in Thursday's win over Kalamazoo Valley. Stewart made six 3-point goals and Laabs made five 3-pointers.

NIACC averages 104.3 points per game, which ranks first in NJCAA Division II. The Lady Trojans have 219 3-point goals, which ranks first in NJCAA Division II.

Illinois Central advanced to the tournament's final four with a 57-42 win over McHenry County on Thursday.

NIACC stopped Illinois Central 99-82 in its season opener on Nov. 3 at the Konigsmark Klassic in Mason City.

Friday's contest against Illinois Central will be the 11th time since the 2013-14 season that the two schools have met. The Lady Trojans are 5-5 against the Cougars in the last 10 games.

NIACC notes: Fourth-year coach Todd Ciochetto has a career record of 80-32 ... Ciochetto is 4-4 all-time vs. Illinois Central ... Sophomore Taylor Laabs has 501 career points, which ranks 41st on the school's career scoring list ... Sophomore Kelsie Willert has 406 career points (48th on school's career scoring list) ... Laabs has 91 career 3-point goals (11th on school's career list) ... Willert has 84 career 3-point goals (tied for 13th on school's career list) ... UU Longs has 129 career assists (24th on school's career list) ... Laabs has 107 career assists (tied for 33rd on school's career list).

ILLINOIS CENTRAL COUGAR HOLIDAY TOURNAMENT

THURSDAY'S RESULTS

Kirkwood 98, Sauk Valley 39

Owens CC 63, South Suburban 55

NIACC 122, Kalamazoo Valley CC 58

Illinois Central 57, McHenry County 42

FRIDAY'S GAMES

10 a.m. - Sauk Valley vs. South Suburban

Noon - Kalamazoo Valley vs. McHenry County

2 p.m. -  Kirkwood vs. Owens CC

4 p.m. - NIACC vs. Illinois Central

SATURDAY'S GAMES

10 a.m. - 7th-place game

Noon - 5th-place game

2 p.m. -  Consolation game

4 p.m. - Championship game