Women's Basketball | 3/6/2016 4:33:57 PM
Kansas City, Mo. – Emporia State claimed their fourth straight MIAA Women’s Basketball Tournament Championship with an 80-66 victory.
The two teams sat tied through the first quarter of play before Emporia State would use an 11-4 run to open up a four point advantage going into halftime. The Lady Hornets held the hot shooting Gorillas to just two three-pointers in the first period.
PSU would answer out of the break through using an 8-3 run to cut into the ESU lead, but the Hornets would close out the third quarter on an 11-6 run to finish with a 59-53 edge. ESU would open the final quarter on a 12-4 run to close out the game.
For the Lady Hornets Kathryn Flott had a double-double scoring 17 points and pulling down 13 rebounds on the way to being named the Tournament’s most outstanding player. Kelly Moten also had 17 points while Sandra Ngoie and Addie Lackey each finished with 14 points on the afternoon.
For the Gorillas Mikaela Burgess led the way with 24 points going four of eight from behind the three-point line. Kylie Gafford had 14 points and a team best eight rebounds while Cathy Brugman finished with 11 points.
Emporia State earns the MIAA’s automatic bid into the NCAA Division II National Tournament while all others teams will await the announcement of the field tonight at 9 p.m. on NCAA.com.
All-Tournament Team
Kathryn Flott, Emporia State (Most Outstanding Player)
Sandra Ngoie, Emporia State
Kelly Moten, Emporia State
Mikaela Burgess, Pittsburg State
Kylie Gafford, Pittsburg State
Notes: This is Emporia State’s fourth straight championship and eighth overall
Emporia State is the first team to win a championship in Kansas City without a four year senior on the team
Emporia State improves to 4-0 against Pittsburg State in the tournament
This is the second time in tournament history that a four seed has won it, it has been Emporia State both times
ESU is 7-1 all-time as the #4 seed in the tournament
Pittsburg State is now 2-3 as the #2 seed.
Emporia State is now 40-13 in the MIAA Tournament
Pittsburg State is now 11-25 in the MIAA Tournament