No. 1 NIACC wins regional title, 95-73

MASON CITY - The top-ranked NIACC women's basketball team is going back to the national tournament.

NIACC topped No. 4 Kirkwood 95-73 on Sunday afternoon in the NIACC gym to claim the NJCAA Region XI title and advance to the NJCAA Division II national tournament.

The national tournament is set for March 17-21 in Port Huron, Mich.

It is the second straight season that the NIACC women have topped Kirkwood in the regional title game. The Lady Trojans moved to the national tournament in 2019 with a 77-70 win over the Eagles.

It is the third time in NIACC women's basketball history that the Lady Trojans have qualified for nationals in back-to-back seasons. NIACC won regional titles in 1975 and 1976 and in 1983 and 1984.

NIACC, which won for the 34th straight time at home, took control of Sunday's regional title game right from the start. The Lady Trojans led 31-10 after the first quarter and led 52-37 at the half.

Kirkwood outscored NIACC 27-25 in the third quarter to trim into the NIACC lead, but the Lady Trojans outscored the Eagles 18-9 in the final 10 minutes to punch their ticket to the national tournament for the 10th time in school history.

NIACC, which won all three meetings against Kirkwood this season, was led by regional-tournament MVP Kelcie Hale, who scored 24 points and dished out four assists.

NIACC, which has won 20 straight games, also received 23 points from reserve guard Andrea Gray, who was 5 of 8 from 3-point range and 6 of 6 from the free-throw line. Sierra Lynch scored 12 points and Autam Mendez scored 11 points and grabbed 14 rebounds.

Lynch also dished out seven assists with five rebounds and two steals.

NIACC's Sierra Morrow and Sanaa Smith both scored 10 points.

NIACC connected on 19 3-point goals and was 24 of 26 from the free-throw line.

Mendez and Morrow joined Hale on the all-tournament team.

Notes: NIACC completed its second straight perfect season at home ... The Lady Trojans were 15-0 at home in 2018-19 and were 16-0 at home in 2019-20 ... The Lady Trojans won their final 3 home games in 17-18.

Mendez was honored after Sunday's regional title game as the ICCAC women's basketball player of the year. Morrow was honored as the league's defensive player of the year and NIACC's Todd Ciochetto was selected as the league's coach of the year.