No. 2 NIACC women cruise to regional final four
MASON CITY - Freshman Autam Mendez recorded her ninth double/double of the season to help lead No. 2 NIACC to a 94-56 victory over Little Priest Tribal College Wednesday in the first round of the NJCAA Region XI women's basketball tournament in the NIACC gym.
Mendez scored 26 points and grabbed 16 rebounds. The 16 rebounds is tied for third most in the Todd Ciochetto era, which started in the 2014-15 season, and was one off Mendez' career high of 17 rebounds - also against Little Priest Tribal College in January.
It is the sixth straight season that the NIACC women's basketball team has advanced to the regional final four. They will be seeking their sixth straight trip to the regional title game.
Top-seed NIACC (25-5 overall) hosts fifth-seed Iowa Central at 1 p.m. Saturday in the regional semifinals. The Tritons knocked off fourth-seed Iowa Lakes 64-55 in their regional opener on Wednesday.
The other semifinal in the NIACC gym at 3 p.m. Saturday pits second-seed Kirkwood against third-seed DMACC.
Also for the Lady Trojans on Wednesday, freshman Mandy Willems scored 20 points with five rebounds, four steals and two assists. Freshman Jada Buford scored 14 points and freshman Hallie Reese came off the bench to score nine points and grabbed six rebounds.
Wednesday's tournament results
NIACC 94, Little Priest Tribal College 56
Iowa Central 64, Iowa Lakes 55
Kirkwood 87, Southwestern 49
DMACC 73, Southeastern 70
2018-19 season (25-5 overall)
NIACC 95, Illinois Central 89 (OT)
NIACC 104, Bay College 74
NIACC 111, Marshalltown CC 65
NIACC 126, RCTC 86
Trinity Valley CC 78, NIACC 73
Johnson County CC 82, NIACC 74
NIACC 120, Kalamazoo Valley CC 70
NIACC 117, Bryant & Stratton (Wisconsin) 95
NIACC 79, Northeast CC 68
NIACC 113, Southwestern 92
NIACC 77, Bryant & Stratton (Wisconsin) 70
Illinois Central 84, NIACC 77
NIACC 88, Parkland College 76
NIACC 79, Iowa Central 62
Iowa Western 85, NIACC 56
NIACC 110, DMACC 85
Kirkwood 77, NIACC 71
NIACC 102, Southeastern 69
NIACC 116, Little Priest Tribal College 69
NIACC 119, Ellsworth 54
NIACC 99, Iowa Lakes 70
NIACC 107, Southwestern 72
NIACC 74, Iowa Central 63
NIACC 68, Kirkwood 62
NIACC 101, Little Priest Tribal College 66
NIACC 98, Iowa Lakes 74
NIACC 131, Ellsworth 56
NIACC 88, DMACC 78
NIACC 92, Southeastern 61
NJCAA Region XI tournament
NIACC 94, Little Priest Tribal College 56
THE LAST TIME NIACC ....
Scored 100 points: 131 vs. Ellsworth (2-27-19)
Had 15 3-point goals: 18 vs. Southeastern (3-2-19)
Had 50 rebounds: 72 vs. Little Priest Tribal College (3-6-19)
Had 20 assists: 20 vs. Ellsworth (2-27-19)
Had 15 steals: 29 vs. Ellsworth (2-27-19)
Beat a rated team: No. 5 NIACC 68 No. 2 Kirkwood 62 (2-9-19)
THE LAST TIME A LADY TROJAN HAD ...
50 points: 51, Trudy Peterson vs. Kennedy King College (11-21-15)
40 points: 45, Mandy Willems vs. Southeastern (3-2-19)
30 points: 32, Mandy Willems vs. DMACC (2-28-19)
10 3-point goals: 13, Mandy Willems vs. Southeastern (3-2-19)
5 3-point goals: 5, Autam Mendez vs. Little Priest Tribal College (3-6-19)
10 rebounds: 10, Autam Mendez vs. Southeastern (3-2-19)
15 rebounds: 16, Autam Mendez vs. Little Priest Tribal College (3-6-19)
10 assists: 10, Kelsie Willert vs. DMACC (2-24-18)
10 steals: 11, Jada Buford vs. Marshalltown CC (11-9-18)
5 steals: 6, Autam Mendez vs. DMACC (2-28-19)
10 blocks: 10, Anna Eckert vs. DMACC (3-5-16)
Double/double: Autam Mendez 26 points/16 rebounds vs. Little Priest Tribal College (3-6-19)
