The 2019 SLIAC Women's Basketball Tournament field features the only four teams that recorded double digit conference wins this season; Greenville University, Spalding University, Webster University, and Westminster College. It marks the first time since the 2015-16 season that at least four teams have reached that mark. Greenville earned the right to host the tournament for a second straight season after going 15-1 in the SLIAC and will face Webster in the semifinals. Spalding is making their first tournament appearance in three years and will take on Westminster in the other semifinal game. The 2019 SLIAC Women's Basketball Championship game will be held on Saturday, February 23 at 1 p.m. All games will be streamed thanks to the SLIAC partnership with CollegeCasts.
Greenville tied the program record with their 15 conference wins this season, going 21-4 overall. It marks the fourth consecutive season the Panthers have won at least 20 games and gives the senior class a total of 83 wins in their four years as the start this year's playoffs. Jantzen Michael and Wesley Woodard are members of that senior class and have played key roles in the team's success. Woodard, a forward, leads the team at 13.7 points per game and is shooting 56-percent from the floor. Michael, a guard, is second on the team at 11.2 points per game and has a team high 43 three-pointers. Morgan St. James is an athletic forward that is averaging 10.4 points and 5.1 rebounds per game while ranking second in the SLIAC in blocked shots (45). Greenville is averaging 75.8 points per game on offense, connecting on a conference best 34-percent of their three-point shots.
Our seniors have been key to our success this year both on and off the floor. Their willingness to buy into our system and do this together as a team has really helped the whole process. Wesley was our leading scorer last year and this year has stepped up and led us again. Jantzen has filled a big hole left by the graduation of 4 starters from last year’ team. Her shooting and play from the perimeter has given us a solid 3pt threat and made it more difficult for teams to sink in at the post. They both work hard and have great attitudes and when this is true of your leaders, good things follow." - greenville head coach roy mulholland
Spalding is making their first postseason apperance in three years after amassing a 19-6 overall record and finishing second in the SLIAC with a 14-2 mark. They enter the tournament on a 12 game winning streak, including 11 straight in conference play. Spalding is averaging 70.1 points per game, exactly middle in the conference, but hold their opponents to the third lowest scoring total at 60.5 points per game. Alex Martin is the unquestioned leader of the Golden Eagles. The senior guard is averaging 17.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 2.4 steals per game. Spalding has benefited from the play of juniors Allison Just and Megan Goeing as well as the arrival of freshmen Maleah Hirn and Hunter Wright, which has helped Martin with the work load. Just is averaging 9.6 points and 5.8 rebounds per game while Goeing is averaging 9.5 points per game and is the team's top outside threat. Hirn is second on the team at 11.4 points per game while Wright is averaging 9.2 points per game while shooting 54-percent from the floor.
It was disappointing to miss the tournament the past two seasons, so we are really excited to be a part of it again. Our young ladies overcame a lot and played really good basketball throughout the conference schedule. I am happy for them, and look forward to a great weekend of competition with three very good basketball teams." - spalding head coach charlie just
Westminster went 19-6 overall and 12-4 in the SLIAC this season while leading the league in scoring at 80.3 points per game. The high octane Blue Jays make nearly 10 three-pointers per game. But they aren't just a team that plays around the perimeter, leading the league in rebounding margin (+14.0) and ranking 3rd in field goal percentage. Kendahl Adams has been the team's go-to player since arriving on campus two years ago, becoming the fastest Blue Jay to reach 1,000 career points. Averaging 19.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game she is always around the ball. This season though the Blue Jays have developed more options with Mirrakohl Johnson and Kallee Dowler among those rising to the challenge. Johnson is an inside force that is averaging 17.2 points and 11.0 rebounds per game, totaling 14 double-double games this season. Dowler set a program record with 77 made three-pointers this season and is averaging 12.2 points per game.
“We knew in the recruiting process we needed to shoot it better and find ways to help Kendahl handle some of the scoring load. We were confident MJ would really step up being year two with us and adding Kallee, Rei, and Abbie Reece to the fold was big. Other returners like Mak Jak and Miller have also help take some of the pressure off of Kendahl. It has allowed her to be more efficient, stay out of foul trouble, and be a league leader in assists. She’s a playmaker at her core and we have seen more of that this year thanks to her familiarity and new faces stepping in.”" - Westminster head coach james arnold
The youthful Gorloks, which feature no seniors and 14 freshman, went 17-8 overall and 10-6 in the SLIAC this season. They are averaging 76.9 points per game and led the league by forcing 26.9 turnovers per game. One of the freshman to play a key role for the Gorloks has been forward Addison Beussink. Beussink, a 6'1" forward, leads the team at 12.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per game and has recorded nine double-double games this year. One of the players with experience is guard Jaysea Morgan. Morgan, a junior, is averaging 11.2 points per game while doling out 62 assists and recording 47 steals this season. Sophomores Noami Johnson (10.9 ppg) and Kylee Heggemann (10.5 ppg) continue the Gorlok scoring depth.
This team has accomplished more than anyone thought they could. Losing 9 seniors a year ago everyone said “rebuilding” year but we saw this as a reloading year. This team has had some growing pains but they always moved forward and trusted the process. This great group feels they can play with anyone and continually are wanting to correct any mistakes. After each game win or lose they came the next day wanting to get better each day and it has showed game to game. This team isn’t a youthful team any more but after so many games they are seasoned and fully confident and ready for the next game. I couldn’t be prouder of this team." - webster head coach jordan olufson
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Created with an image by KeithJJ - "basketball net score"