No. 2 Eagles fall at No. 1 NIACC
Sunday, 23 February 2020 07:00 Metro Sports Report
And that's not especially good news for Kirkwood.
The second-ranked Eagles lost to top-ranked NIACC, 85-64, in their conference showdown in Mason City Saturday and now NIACC has clinched the No. 1 seed for the regional.
Only one team from the Iowa regional will make the NJCAA Division II national tournament, which means Kirkwood might have to return to Mason City in a few weeks and try to beat NIACC in a rematch on their home floor for a coveted trip to nationals.
Kirkwood enjoyed an early 16-6 lead Saturday, but the Eagles got into foul trouble and trailed 46-34 at halftime. They never caught up.
NIACC pumped in fifteen 3-pointers compared to only three for Kirkwood.
Kemara Watson and Paige Bradford scored 12 points apiece for Kirkwood (25-3, 12-2). Autam Mendez scored 20 points for NIACC (27-1, 14-0).
NIACC has a two-game lead over Kirkwood in the league standings with two games left in the regular season, but NIACC has swept both games from the Eagles and owns the tiebreaker for the No. 1 seed in the region even if they both finish with 14-2 league marks.
KIRKWOOD (64): Paige Bradford 4-7 4-8 12, Tatiana Hodges-Johnson 0-2 3-4 3, Ju Gaston 2-6 5-6 10, Amara Lipsey 3-6 0-0 8, Marissa Metz 0-2 2-3 2, Delani Harris 0-4 7-7 7, Jheda Kennedy 0-4 2-2 2, Kortney Drake 0-2 0-0 0, Addison Rath 0-3 2-2 2, Natalie Tomaszewski 2-5 2-2 6, Kemara Watson 6-10 0-0 12. Totals 17-51 27-34 64.
NIACC (85): Sierra Lynch 0-5 2-4 2, Sanaa Smith 4-9 2-2 13, Kelcie Hale 4-12 4-5 14, Autam Mendez 6-16 5-5 20, Sierra Morrow 6-12 5-5 18, Miyah Walker 0-0 0-0 0, Allie Negen 2-4 0-0 6, Andrea Gray 3-6 0-0 9, Shinaana Secody 0-2 0-0 0, Abby Leach 0-3 0-0 0, Sydney Wetlaufer 1-4 0-0 3, Brooke Heisler 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 26-74 18-21 85.
Halftime - NIACC 46, Kirkwood 34. 3-point goals - Kirkwood 3-12 (Gaston 1-1, Lipsey 2-4, Harris 0-2, Kennedy 0-2, Drake 0-1, Rath 0-1, Tomaszewski 0-1), NIACC 15-48 (Lynch 0-2, Smith 3-6, Hale 2-10, Mendez 3-10, Morrow 1-4, Negen 2-4, Gray 3-5, Secody 0-2, Leach 0-1, Wetlaufer 1-4).
