EAST PEORIA, Ill. – The No. 3 NIACC women’s basketball team advanced to the semifinals of the Illinois Central Cougar Holiday tournament with a 77-70 victory over Bryant & Stratton (Wisconsin) on Friday.
NIACC (9-2 overall) received 31 points from freshman Mandy Willems. Also for the Lady Trojans, freshman Kelcie Hale scored 12 points and sophomore Tahya Campbell scored 10 points.
NIACC, which led 35-34 at the half, took a 55-44 lead into the fourth quarter. Bryant & Stratton trimmed the deficit to 67-64, but that was as close as it would get.
NIACC outscored Bryant & Stratton 10-6 down the stretch to move to Saturday’s 4 p.m. semifinal contest against either Illinois Central or Sauk Valley.
Kirkwood moved to the semifinals with a 89-28 victory over McHenry County CC in its first-round contest on Friday. The Eagles face Parkland in the first semifinal Saturday.
FRIDAY’S RESULTS
Parkland College 67, Carl Sandburg College 61
Kirkwood 89, McHenry County CC 28
NIACC 77, Bryant & Stratton (Wisconsin) 70
6 p.m. – Sauk Valley CC (2-7) vs. Illinois Central (11-1)
SATURDAY, DEC. 29
10 a.m. – Carl Sandburg (5-9) vs. McHenry County (8-4)
Noon – Bryant & Stratton (10-6) vs. Sauk Valley/Illinois Central loser
2 p.m. – Parkland (9-3) vs. Kirkwood (10-4)
4 p.m. – NIACC (9-2) vs. Sauk Valley/Illinois Central winner
SUNDAY, DEC. 30
10 a.m. – 7th-place game
Noon – 5th-place game
2 p.m. – Consolation game
4 p.m. – Championship game
