NIACC women win regional title, 83-80
MASON CITY - For the second time in three seasons, the NIACC women's basketball team is going to the national tournament.
NIACC claimed the NJCAA Region XI title with a thrilling 83-80 come-from-behind victory over DMACC in the loud NIACC gym Saturday afternoon.
NIACC (22-10) will be playing in its eighth national tournament March 15-19 in Overland Park, Kan. The Lady Trojans placed third at the NJCAA Division II national tournament in 2014.
Seedings and pairings for the NJCAA Division II national women's tournament will be released at 11 a.m. on Tuesday.
This trip to the national tournament truly was a team effort, led by tournament MVP Anna Eckert.
Eckert led the Lady Trojans with her first career triple-double (fourth career double-double) with a career-high 23 points, 13 rebounds (matched a career high) and a career-best 10 blocked shots.
The 10 blocked shots by Eckert was two off the school record of 12 by Lashae Brooks in the 2012-13 season.
Savannah Lentz scored 18 points, including six 3-point goals. Courtney Larson scored 16 points and Diamond Miller scored 12 points and Morgan Cuffe scored 11 points.
And Larson gave the Lady Trojans an 83-80 lead with an old-fashioned 3-point play with 4.5 seconds remaining in the game that proved to be the game-winner.
DMACC's last-second 3-point attempt missed and the Lady Trojans were the regional champions again.
Notes: The NIACC women are 8-2 in regional title games ... Lentz has 659 career points (22nd on school's career list) ... Lentz has 164 career 3-point goals (1st on school's career list) ... Lentz has 80 3-point goals this season (5th on school's single-season list) ... Trudy Peterson has 579 career points (26th on school's career list) ... Peterson has 131 career 3-point goals (2nd on school's career list) ... Peterson has 89 3-point goals this season (2nd on school's single-season list) ... Miller has 344 career rebounds (tied for 13th on school's career list) ... Miller has 179 rebounds this season (36th on school's single-season list) ... Sproul has 114 assists this season (15th on school's single-season list) ... Sproul has 103 steals this season (11th on school's single-season list).
NIACC 83, DMACC 80
DMACC 22 21 22 15 - 80
NIACC 19 20 22 22 83
DMACC - Cassie Geopfert 4, Shayla Dean 6, Emily Knittel 17, Kiana Peterson 17, London Vais 23, Amanda Cartney 3, Kelsey Pretz 10. Totals - 27-68 20-28 80.
NIACC - Savannah Lentz 18, Anna Eckert 23, Trudy Peterson 3, Courtney Larson 16, Morgan Cuffe 11, Diamond Miller 12. Totals - 30-64 15-22 83.
3-point goals - DMACC (6-19): Dean 2, Vais 2, Cartney 1, Pretz 1. NIACC (8-25): Lentz 6, Peterson 1, Larson 1. Total fouls - DMACC 17, NIACC 21. Fouled out - Cuffe.
Saturday's title game
NIACC 83, DMACC 80
Thursday's semifinal results
DMACC 66, Kirkwood 54
NIACC 67, Iowa Central 54
Tuesday's first-round results
Kirkwood 103, Ellsworth 51
DMACC 82, Iowa Lakes 56
Iowa Central 64, Southeastern 59
NIACC women's 2015-16 season (21-10 overall)
NIACC 76, NDSCS 51
NIACC 98, Williston State College 77
NIACC 84, Illinois Central 76 (OT)
NIACC 87, Lake Land College 73
Illinois Central 86, NIACC 75
Parkland College 84, NIACC 71
NIACC 83, RCTC 61
State Fair CC 83, NIACC 81
NIACC 131, Kennedy King College 71
NIACC 74, Marshalltown CC 46
Iowa Western 81, NIACC 74
NIACC 93, Cincinnati State 80
Illinois Central 87, NIACC 54
Schoolcraft College 78, NIACC 55
Iowa Western 63, NIACC 53
Iowa Central 76, NIACC 52
NIACC 97, Southwestern 54
NIACC 106, Ellsworth 59
DMACC 83, NIACC 75
NIACC 85, Southeastern 81
NIACC 83, Iowa Lakes 68
Kirkwood 83, NIACC 76
NIACC 85, Iowa Central 66
NIACC 69, Southwestern 57
NIACC 68, Ellsworth 54
NIACC 64, DMACC 52
NIACC 93, Southeastern 71
NIACC 86, Iowa Lakes 70
NIACC 60, Kirkwood 57
NJCAA Region XI tournament
NIACC 77, Southwestern 45
NIACC 67, Iowa Central 54
NIACC 83, DMACC 80
NIACC women's basketball team 2015-16 season
When NIACC Then NIACC is
At home 11-3
On the road 8-3
Neutral site 3-4
Leads at halftime 19-3
Trails at halftime 2-6
Tied at half 1-1
Plays in overtime 1-0
Scores less than 60 points 0-4
Scores between 60-69 points 5-0
Scores between 70-79 points 3-5
Scores between 80-89 points 8-1
Scores between 90-99 points 4-0
Scores 100 or more points 2-0
Allows less than 60 points 10-0
Allows between 60-69 points 3-1
Allows between 70-79 points 6-2
Allows between 80-89 points 3-7
Allows between 90-99 points 0-0
Allows more than 100 points 0-0
Game is decided by 1-3 points 2-1
Game is decided by 4-6 points 1-0
Game is decided by 7-10 points 1-5
Game is decided by 11-14 points 6-2
Game is decided by 15 or more points 12-3
