For the second time in three seasons the Kentucky Wesleyan College women’s basketball team has earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament, this time competing in the Atlantic Region. The Panthers are slotted in the No. 3 seed and will face the No. 6 seed Tiffin Dragons in the quarterfinals. Tip-off is set for 7:45 pm on Friday at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio.
TICKETS
Kentucky Wesleyan has been allotted 35 tickets. All tickets have been reserved for the families of the women’s basketball student athletes. No tickets will be available to the general public.
GREAT MIDWEST DIGITAL NETWORK
Friday’s quarterfinal will be livestreamed for free on the Great Midwest Digital Network. Fans can access the livestream by clicking HERE.
94.7 WBIO
Legendary broadcaster Joel Utley will provide a radio broadcast of the game. Fans can tune into 94.7 WBIO or listen online by clicking HERE.
SERIES HISTORY
The Panthers hold the all-time series record at 6-1. This will mark their third meeting in the postseason with the series tied at 1-1.
LAST MEETING
The two teams are no stranger to each other, having just met in the G-MAC Championship this past weekend. Aarion Nichols banked a three in the final six seconds to tie the game at 48 and force overtime where the Dragons won 61-57.
SCOUTING THE PANTHERS
Wesleyan has won 9 of their last 10 games with the second best offense in the G-MAC at 80.3 points per game. The Panthers also boast the third best defense in the G-MAC, holding opponents to 67.3 points per game.
A trio of Panthers earned All-G-MAC honors last week. Tahlia Walton, Kaylee Clifford and Lily Miller were each named to the Second-Team. Miller also earned All-Defensive Team honors for the second straight season.
Clifford and Walton have averaged double figures this season at 11.5 and 10.8 points per game respectively. Clifford paces the Panthers with 5.8 rebounds per game. Miller leads the team with 90 assists while Clifford tops the team at 35 steals and 23 blocks.
SCOUTING THE DRAGONS
Tiffin took home the G-MAC title last week as the No. 5 seed, taking down Ohio Dominican, Cedarville and Wesleyan. The Dragons have the best defense in the league, keeping opponents to 62.3 points per game.
Two Dragons earned All-Conference honors in Aarion Nichols (First-Team), and Savanah Richards (Second-Team). Nichols leads the team in field goals, rebounds, steals, and was second in assists.
ATLANTIC REGION QUARTERFINALS
Friday, March 12
No. 4 Cedarville vs. No. 5 Walsh – 5:00 pm CT
No. 3 Kentucky Wesleyan vs. No. 6 Tiffin – 7:45 pm CT
ATLANTIC REGION SEMIFINALS
Saturday, March 13
No. 1 Charleston vs. Winner of Cedarville/Walsh – 5:00 pm CT
No. 2 Glenville State vs. Winner of Kentucky Wesleyan/Tiffin – 7:45 pm CT
ATLANTIC REGION CHAMPIONSHIP
Monday, March 15 | 6:00 pm CT
Two remaining teams
This is a KWC Athletics press release.
