The brackets have been released for the NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball National Champions and No. 4 Westmont has received one of four number one seeds.
The Warriors will take on Lyon of Arkansas (20-11) next Thursday at 9:30 a.m. (PDT) in a first round game. Lyon finished fourth team in the powerhouse TranSouth Athletic Conference.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW COMPLETE BRACKET
“We’re really excited to have a number one seed,” said Westmont head coach Kirsten Moore, the Golden State Athletic Conference Coach of the Year. “We have worked very hard for that all year. As exciting as it is, it means absolutely nothing once we get there. Every team in this tournament is capable of beating anyone else.
“Lyon is a very good basketball team that plays in one of the toughest conferences in the country,” said Moore. “Two of the other number one seeds are from their conference. Lyon is used to playing at a high level. We know it is a one-game season and every game could be your last. It is exciting to have the number one seed, but those are just numbers and they all go out the window when you step on the floor.”
The Warriors and Scots have just one common opponent in Ecclesia (Ark.). Westmont defeated Ecclesia 68-40 on November 26 at The Master’s Tournament. Lyon defeated Ecclesia twice by scores of 84-39 and 80-57.
“I know Lyon’s coach, Tracy Stewart-Lange,” said Moore. “We served on the national tournament committee during the 2010 tournament. I like her and think she is great.
“We have never played Lyon, but we will go about trying to get as much information as we can from opponents they have played. There is a film exchange program and we will get their last game played and they will get our last game played.”
Lyon is led in scoring by senior forward Lauren Ramsey who averages 13.61 points per game and is pulling down 5.7 rebounds per game. Junior forward Suzanne Fincham adds another 8.5 points and a team-high 5.9 rebounds per game.
At small forward, junior Debbie Onukwube is averaging 10.5 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. Junior guard Phagen Altom averages 12.8 points and 2.5 assists per game. Sophomore Alex Davidson is the Scot’s other starting guard and is averaging 5.6 points and 2.1 assists per game.
As a team, Lyon is averaging 67.4 points per contest to their opponents 59.3. The Scots lead the NAIA in 3-point field goal percentage at 36.3 (180 of 496) and are eighth in free throw percentage at 75.9 (509 of 671).
After posting a record of 7-2 in January, Lyon cooled off in February, going 3-6. Lyon’s best win came on January 26 when they defeated #3 Freed Hardeman (Tenn.) 48-43. Altom led Lyon in scoring on that night with 16 points while Ramsey recorded a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds. Fincham also added 11 points.
Three other teams will be representing the GSAC at this year’s national championship. #9 Azusa Pacific (24-7) received a number three seed and will take on #21 MidAmerica Nazarene (25-8) from Kansas, a number six seed. Number 13 Vanguard (23-6) enters the tournament as a number four seed and will face fifth-seeded and nineteenth ranked Georgetown (21-9) of Kentucky. Biola (21-10) was given a seventh seed and will face #7 Lee (30-3) of Tennessee who is a number two seed.
A victory on Thursday would move Westmont into the second round on Friday when they would play the winner between St. Xavier (Ill.) and Campbellsville (Ky.). Campbellsville is located just 75 miles from Frankfort.
Before taking off for the Bluegrass State, the Warriors will get in a couple of days of intense practice on Thursday and Friday.
“We are leaving on Saturday and it will take us an entire day to get there,” said Moore as she outlined their itinerary.” On Sunday, we will spend some time with Rick Ifland, a Westmont Board of Trustees member that lives in the area. He will host our team and give us a good welcome to Kentucky.
“We will start preparation on Monday with practices. We will also take part in a Special Olympics clinic on Tuesday and participate in the banquet on Tuesday night.
“All the action starts on Wednesday and we will get to watch games and get a feel for the Tournament. In past years, we have learned a lot by watching games. We will also go and support our other GSAC teams and cheer them on to victory.”
This year marks the fifth time Moore has led the Warriors to the national tournament. Westmont has played in a total of six national tournaments since 2001 and has a record of 1-6.
