NIACC women lead nation in scoring

HARRISON, Ark. - The No. 2 NIACC women's basketball team enters this week's NJCAA Division II national tournament  leading the nation in several offensive categories.

NIACC (27-5) averages 94.7 points per contest, which is tops in NJCAA Division II. Fourth-seeded Kansas City (Kan.) ranks second averaging 89.9 points per game.

Second-seeded NIACC, which faces 15th seed Wayne County CC (Michigan) at 3 p.m. Tuesday in their opening round game, scored at least 100 points in a game 13 times during the 2018-19 season.

NIACC also leads all NJCAA Division II teams with 472 3-point goals this season. Niagara County CC, which is also in the national tournament field, ranks second with 310 3-point goals and Kansas City (Kan.) is third with 305 3-point goals made.

NIACC freshman Mandy Willems leads the nation with 171 3-point goals, Autam Mendez has made 78 3-point goals and Jada Buford has 76 3-point goals.

It is the first time in school history that the Lady Trojans have had three players make at least 75 3-point goals in a season.

NIACC also leads all NJCAA Division II teams in free throws made with 541. Kansas City (Kan.) ranks second with 519 free-throws made and Pima CC, which is in the tournament field, is third with 495 free-throws made.

DID YOU KNOW?

NIACC's Mandy Willems leads the nation at all levels of women's college basketball with 171 3-point goals. Second on the list is Idaho's Taylor Pierce, who leads NCAA Division I with 138.

Here are the division leaders ... NCAA Division I - Taylor Pierce (Idaho) 138; NCAA Division II - Morgan Brunner (West Liberty) 108; NCAA Division III - Celia Kline (Transylvania) 101; NAIA Division I - Myay Taylor (Bethel, Tenn.) 125; NAIA Division II - Cassidy Johnson (College of the Ozarks) 136; NJCAA Division I - Merle Wiehl (Western Nebraska) 118; NJCAA Division II - Mandy Willems (NIACC) 171.

NJCAA DIVISION II FIRST-ROUND CONTESTS

Tuesday, March 19

9 a.m. - (3) Kansas City (Kan.) vs. (14) Chesapeake

11 a.m. - (6) Pima vs. (11) Lake Michigan

1 p.m. - (7) Cape Fear CC vs. (10) Metropolitian CC

3 p.m. - (2) NIACC vs. (15) Wayne County CC

6 p.m. - (1) Illinois Central vs. (16) North Platte CC

8 p.m. - (8) South Suburban vs. (9) Union County

Wednesday, March 20

11 a.m. - (4) Moraine Valley vs. (13) Lackawanna

1 p.m. - (5) Niagara County vs. (12) Sinclair