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EMCC women paired with undefeated Walters State in NJCAA hoops tourney opener Print E-mail
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Shown here celebrating their NJCAA Region 23 championship win over ninth-ranked Copiah-Lincoln, the 12th-seeded EMCC Lady Lions will meet undefeated and fifth-seeded Walters State Wednesday at noon in first-round action of the NJCAA Division I Women’s Basketball National Championship in Salina, Kan.
SALINA, Kan. – East Mississippi was undefeated the last time the school began play in the NJCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament.  Three decades later in their first trip back to the national stage since 1978, the EMCC Lady Lions will tip off this year’s national junior college tournament by meeting unbeaten Walters State during Wednesday’s opening-round action in Salina, Kan.  Tip-off for the EMCC-WSCC contest is set for noon at the Salina Bicentennial Center.

Winners of the TCCAA/NJCAA Region VII Tournament championship in Cleveland, Tenn., the fifth-seeded Lady Senators of Walters State Community College bring an unblemished 30-0 mark to Kansas for this week’s NJCAA Division I Women’s Basketball National Championship.  Affiliated with the Tennessee Community College Athletic Association and located in Morristown, Tenn., WSCC was ranked third nationally in the final regular-season NJCAA Division I women’s basketball poll.

Guided by 32nd-year head coach Dave Kragel, WSCC will be appearing in the NJCAA tournament for the third consecutive year and the fourth time in the last five years.  The Lady Senators are led by freshman guard LaKrystle Goss, who was named the NJCAA Region VII Tournament MVP after sharing regular-season MVP honors of the TCCAA’s Eastern Division.  WSCC sophomore guard Rhon’Neisha Taylor was named to both the All-TCCAA and All-Eastern Division teams, while freshmen Melanie Hemphill and Shy Marsh were both tabbed All-Eastern Division.

Making their first national tournament appearance since finishing 31-1 as NJCAA runners-up to Panola (Texas) Junior College in 1978, head coach Sharon Thompson’s 24-5 Lady Lions enter this week’s tournament seeded 12th.  EMCC earned its invitation to Kansas by claiming the NJCAA Region 23 Tournament title with wins over Northwest Mississippi, state champion Jones County and ninth-ranked Copiah-Lincoln.

Winners of 14 of their last 15 decisions, the Lady Lions are led in scoring and rebounding by sophomore forward Angelique Burtts of Conyers, Ga.  The Georgia State signee has averaged 15.6 points and 7.7 rebounds per game in being named to the 2008-09 NJCAA All-Region 23 Team.  Freshman forward Martika Hull, an All-MACJC North State First Team selection, ranks as EMCC’s No. 2 scorer (13.4 ppg) and third-leading rebounder (7.3 rpg) on the season.





Last Updated ( Sunday, 15 March 2009 )
 
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