MCC Arrives For National Tournament

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College Lady Eagles arrived in Salina, KS late Sunday afternoon in preparation for the opening round of the NJCAA Division I Women’s National Tournament that begins on Tuesday at the Bicentennial Center.

The Lady Eagles advanced to the tournament last Saturday by winning the Region 23 Tournament Championship over Itawamba Community College by a final score of 73-69 in Clinton, MS at Mississippi College.

The appearance for MCC in the national tournament is the first trip to Kansas for the Lady Eagles since 1999 and the first under the direction of head coach Hilary Allen. Meridian (22-10) will open the tournament Tuesday night against Hutchinson Community College (KS) and the game is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. The tournament field is highlighted by two undefeated teams as both Hutchinson and Trinity Valley Community College (TX) enter the field with a combined 55-0 record. The tournament will begin March 20 and concludes with the crowning of a national champion on March 24.

The Lady Eagles are the number 15 seed and will face the number two seeded Hutchinson Lady Blue Dragons. Hutchinson (33-0) defeated Independence College 43-41 to capture its regional championship.

All 26 games of the tournament can be seen live on NJCAA TV, powered by iHigh.com (www.njcaatv.ihigh.com). Fans can also watch the games on their iPhone, iPad, and Android devices by visiting the iHigh mobile site at m.ihigh.com.The games will also be presented on KSAL radio in Salina, KS. The live audio and play-by-play for the tournament broadcasts will stream online at www.ksallink.com.

The Lady Eagles are scheduled to practice at 9:30 Monday morning at the Bicentennial Center and MCC will take part in a pre-tournament banquet Monday night at 6:30.