No. 2 NIACC women cruise to regional final
MAS0N CITY - Back to the regional finals.
For the sixth straight season, the NIACC women's basketball team will playing for a right to represent NJCAA Region XI at the national tournament.
The second-ranked Lady Trojans cruised to a 88-49 victory over Iowa Central Saturday afternoon in the regional semifinals in the NIACC gym.
The last time the Lady Trojans did not make the regional finals was the 2013 season. In the previous five regional title games, the Lady Trojans advanced to the NJCAA Division II national tournament twice in 2014 and 2016.
Top-seeded NIACC (26-5) faces second-seed Kirkwood (27-6) at 1 p.m. Sunday in the regional final in the NIACC gym. No. 4 Kirkwood moved to the title game for the third straight season with a 68-60 win over DMACC.
The two ICCAC rivals split the regular season series with each team winning on their own home court. The Eagles won 77-71 in Cedar Rapids and the Lady Trojans won 68-62 in Mason City.
In Saturday's regional semifinal win over Iowa Central, freshman Mandy Willems scored 31 points, including eight three-point goals, to lead NIACC. Also for the Lady Trojans, Autam Mendez scored 14 points, Kelcie Hale scored 13 points and Jada Buford scored 11 points.
Mendez also contributed nine rebounds, four assists and two steals.
With the game tied 9-9 in the first period, NIACC went on a 31-0 run to take a 40-9 lead. The Lady Trojans led 50-21 at the half to punch their ticket to Sunday's title game.
NIACC's 2018-19 season (26-5 overall)
NIACC 95, Illinois Central 89 (OT)
NIACC 104, Bay College 74
NIACC 111, Marshalltown CC 65
NIACC 126, RCTC 86
Trinity Valley CC 78, NIACC 73
Johnson County CC 82, NIACC 74
NIACC 120, Kalamazoo Valley CC 70
NIACC 117, Bryant & Stratton (Wisconsin) 95
NIACC 79, Northeast CC 68
NIACC 113, Southwestern 92
NIACC 77, Bryant & Stratton (Wisconsin) 70
Illinois Central 84, NIACC 77
NIACC 88, Parkland College 76
NIACC 79, Iowa Central 62
Iowa Western 85, NIACC 56
NIACC 110, DMACC 85
Kirkwood 77, NIACC 71
NIACC 102, Southeastern 69
NIACC 116, Little Priest Tribal College 69
NIACC 119, Ellsworth 54
NIACC 99, Iowa Lakes 70
NIACC 107, Southwestern 72
NIACC 74, Iowa Central 63
NIACC 68, Kirkwood 62
NIACC 101, Little Priest Tribal College 66
NIACC 98, Iowa Lakes 74
NIACC 131, Ellsworth 56
NIACC 88, DMACC 78
NIACC 92, Southeastern 61
NJCAA Region XI tournament
NIACC 94, Little Priest Tribal College 56
NIACC 88, Iowa Central 49
THE LAST TIME NIACC ....
Scored 100 points: 131 vs. Ellsworth (2-27-19)
Had 15 3-point goals: 21 vs. Iowa Central (3-9-19)
Had 50 rebounds: 72 vs. Little Priest Tribal College (3-6-19)
Had 20 assists: 23 vs. Iowa Central (3-9-19)
Had 15 steals: 29 vs. Ellsworth (2-27-19)
Beat a rated team: No. 5 NIACC 68 No. 2 Kirkwood 62 (2-9-19)
THE LAST TIME A LADY TROJAN HAD ...
50 points: 51, Trudy Peterson vs. Kennedy King College (11-21-15)
40 points: 45, Mandy Willems vs. Southeastern (3-2-19)
30 points: 31, Mandy Willems vs. Iowa Central (3-9-19)
10 3-point goals: 13, Mandy Willems vs. Southeastern (3-2-19)
5 3-point goals: 8, Mandy Willems vs. Iowa Central (3-9-19)
10 rebounds: 10, Autam Mendez vs. Southeastern (3-2-19)
15 rebounds: 16, Autam Mendez vs. Little Priest Tribal College (3-6-19)
10 assists: 10, Kelsie Willert vs. DMACC (2-24-18)
10 steals: 11, Jada Buford vs. Marshalltown CC (11-9-18)
5 steals: 6, Autam Mendez vs. DMACC (2-28-19)
10 blocks: 10, Anna Eckert vs. DMACC (3-5-16)
Double/double: Autam Mendez 26 points/16 rebounds vs. Little Priest Tribal College (3-6-19)