HARRISON, Ark. – The second-ranked NIACC women’s basketball team gained the No. 2 seed for the NJCAA Division II national tournament.
The Lady Trojans (27-5) faces 15th seed Wayne County CC (Michigan) at 3 p.m. Tuesday, March 19 in their opening round game at the Pioneer Pavillion on the North Arkansas College campus.
NIACC advanced to the national tournament for the ninth time in school history with a 77-70 win over No. 4 Kirkwood Sunday in the NJCAA Region XI title game in the NIACC gym.
Wayne County CC (17-12) stopped Mott CC 66-60 in overtime on Saturday to punch its ticket to the national tournament.
The winner of the NIACC/Wayne County contest plays the winner of seventh seed Cape Fear CC (North Carolina)/10th seed Metropolitan CC (Missouri) at 8 p.m. on Wednesday in the quarterfinals. The NIACC/Wayne County and Cape Fear/Metropolitian losers meet at 9 a.m. Thursday.
No. 1 Illinois Central (31-1) is the top seed for the 16-team tournament. The Cougars face 16th seed North Platte (Neb.) in their tournament opener at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
NIACC and Illinois Central split a pair of contests this season. The Lady Trojans topped the Cougars 95-89 on Nov. 2 at the Konigsmark Klassic and Illinois Central stopped NIACC 84-77 in the semifinals of the Cougar Holiday Classic on Dec. 29.
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