Indiana Tech Women's Basketball WHAC Tournament Preview
By: Randy Ziemnik
Updated: February 19, 2013
COURTESY: INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS
Fort Wayne, Ind. - The 2012-13 Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Tournament tips off Wednesday, Feb. 20 with the conference's top four teams hosting the first round games.
Davenport University and Concordia University finished tied at the top of the standings to earn a share of the WHAC regular season championship, but Davenport will be the tournament's top-seed based on tiebreakers. DU also receives the conference's first automatic berth to the 2013 NAIA Division II Women's Basketball National Championship Tournament. The winner of the conference tournament will receive the second berth. The tournament runner-up will receive the bid if Davenport wins the tournament.
Under first-year Head Coach Jessie Biggs, Indiana Tech wrapped up regular season play in sixth place in the standings with an overall record of 13-17 with a mark of 11-11 in league play, the most conference wins by a Tech team in at least ten years.
After earning the 6th-seed, the Warriors will travel to 3rd-seed Siena Heights University for its first round matchup.
The Saints swept the season series, defeating the Warriors 60-43 in Adrian, Michigan and coming from behind to win 80-73 in the Schaefer Center.
The Warriors will enter postseason play with the second best offense in the conference averaging more than 70 points per game. Juniors Rachael Kruse (Ft. Wayne, IN/Homestead) and Ulyssia Richmond (Temple Hills, MD/Riverdale Baptist) have been integral pieces of the offense this season scoring more than 16 points a night each, which ranks both in the top-6 in the WHAC. However, Tech could be without Richmond the rest of the way after suffering an injury in their game at Cornerstone University on last week.
Tech will look to Chelsea Carradine (Redford, MI/Thurston) and Kaneisha Bass (Detroit, MI/Lincoln Trail) to fill the void and be the inside presence the Warriors will need against Siena Heights. Carradine is averaging 11.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, and is among the league leaders with seven double-doubles this season, while Bass comes in at 8.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.
Siena Heights, ranked No. 21 in the latest NAIA Top 25 poll, is having one of its best seasons in recent years piling up a 22-8 overall record and are 17-5 in WHAC play. The Saints rank in the middle of the pack offensively in the conference, but are holding their opponents to just 56.5 points per contest, which ranks third.
The Saints are led by sophomore guard Morgan Warfield and senior forward Amanda Duke, who are each averaging more than 11 points a night. Warfield is the conference leader with 101 three-point field goals made.
The game is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. start time in Adrian, Michigan on Wednesday, Feb. 20. Tickets for the game will be $7 for adults and $5 for students.
