No. 12 NIACC women move to regional final four
MASON CITY - The No. 12 NIACC women's basketball team cruised to a 105-40 victory over Ellsworth in the opening round of the NJCAA Region XI tournament on Wednesday night in the NIACC gym.
NIACC, which led 60-16 at the half, was led by freshman Mikayla Homola with 16 points. Sophomore Taylor Laabs scored 12 points and sophomore Khalilah Holloway scored 10 points as the Lady Trojans advanced to the regional final four for the fifth straight season.
Second-seed NIACC (25-6 overall) faces Third-seed Iowa Central (17-14) in the regional semifinals at 3 p.m. on Saturday in the Kirkwood gym in Cedar Rapids. Iowa Central topped Iowa Lakes 79-74 in overtime in its first round game on Wednesday.
Top-seed Kirkwood (29-3) plays fourth-seed Southeastern (22-9) in the other semifinal at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
In Wednesday's win over Ellsworth, NIACC was 17 of 48 from 3-point range. The Lady Trojans received four 3-point goals from Laabs and nine Lady Trojans connected on at least one 3-point goals.
Laabs has 144 career 3-point goals, which is third on the school's all-time career list. Trudy Peterson (2014-16) is second on the career list with 145 3-point goals and Savannah Lentz (2014-16) is the career leader with 171 career 3s.
Also for NIACC, Holloway had eight rebounds with six steals and five assists. Freshman Kenlie Pytleski scored nine points and grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds.
Wednesday's results
Kirkwood 95, Southwestern 31
Southeastern 58, DMACC 54
Iowa Central 79, Iowa Lakes 74 (OT)
NIACC 105, Ellsworth 40
Saturday's semifinals (at Cedar Rapids)
1 p.m. - Kirkwood vs. Southeastern
3 p.m. - NIACC vs. Iowa Central
Sunday's championship
1 p.m. - Semifinal winners
NIACC's 2017-18 season (25-6 overall)
NIACC 99, Illinois Central 82
NIACC 90, Bay College 61
NIACC 134, Milwaukee Area Tech 45
NIACC 121, Harper College 28
NIACC 98, Iowa Western 89
NIACC 128, Riverland CC 36
NIACC 102, Rock Valley College 76
NIACC 112, Lake Region State College 57
NIACC 105, Grand View JV 73
Northeast CC 67, NIACC 54
NIACC 111, Central CC-Columbus 51
NIACC 78, NDSCS 77 (OT)
NIACC 106, Dakota College-Bottineau 47
NIACC 122, Kalamazoo Valley CC 58
Illinois Central 66, NIACC 62
Owens CC 73, NIACC 63
NIACC 83, Southeastern CC 52
Kirkwood 68, NIACC 59
NIACC 76, Iowa Central 67
NIACC 89, Ellsworth 46
DMACC 91, NIACC 83
NIACC 94, Iowa Lakes 71
NIACC 99, Southwestern 75
NIACC 98, Southeastern 94
Kirkwood 70, NIACC 68
NIACC 93, Iowa Central 73
NIACC 99, Ellsworth 70
NIACC 110, DMACC 78
NIACC 95, Iowa Lakes 72
NIACC 103, Southwestern 54
NJCAA Region XI tournament
NIACC 105, Ellsworth 40
NIACC women's basketball team 2017-18
When NIACC Then NIACC is
In November 9-0
In December 4-3
In January 4-2
In February 6-1
In March 2-0
Plays at home 14-1
Plays on road 6-3
Plays on neutral court 5-2
Leads at halftime 24-1
Trails at halftime 1-5
Tied at halftime 0-0
Plays in overtime 1-0
Scores less than 60 points 0-2
Scores between 60-69 points 0-3
Scores between 70-79 points 2-0
Scores between 80-89 points 2-1
Scores between 90-99 points 9-0
Scores 100 or more points 12-0
Allows less than 60 points 11-0
Allows between 60-69 points 2-3
Allows between 70-79 points 9-2
Allows between 80-89 points 2-0
Allows between 90-99 points 1-1
Allows 100 or more points 0-0
Game decided by 1-3 points 1-1
Game decided by 4-6 points 1-1
Game decided by 7-10 points 2-3
Game decided by 11-14 points 0-1
Game decided by 15+ points 21-0
NIACC WOMEN'S SEASON SINGLE-GAME HIGHS
TEAM
Points - 134 vs. Milwaukee Area Tech (11-10-17)
3-point goals - 26 vs. Dakota College-Bottineau (12-9-17)
Rebounds - 65 vs. Riverland CC (11-21-17)
Assists - 33 vs. Milwaukee Area Tech (11-10-17)
Steals - 29 vs. Harper College (11-11-17)
INDIVIDUAL
Points - 42, Taylor Laabs vs. Southwestern (2-3-18)
3-point goals - 9, Laabs vs. Southwestern (2-3-18)
Rebounds - 16, Khalilah Holloway, twice.
Assists - 10, Kelsie Willert vs. DMACC (2-24-18)
Steals - 9, Kelsie Willert vs. Kalamazoo Valley CC (12-28-17)
