MILWAUKEE – Tomorrow marks the beginning of the 2020 American Collegiate Athletic Association Women's Basketball Tournament. For the first time ever, the Mount Mary University basketball team will host the two-day event at the Bloechl Center featuring four teams from the ACAA.
The Blue Angels ended their regular season on a winning note with a win over Andrews University (9-11). After losing to the Cardinals four weeks earlier, MMU was able turn around and defeat AU 56-48 in their regular season finale. Not only did the Blue Angels hold the Cardinals to just two points in the entire second quarter, but Erica Williams (Jr./Bloomington, Ill.) also logged her 11th double-double of the season.
Williams led the Blue Angels in a number of categories this season including points per games and rebounds. The junior forward averaged 13.8 points and 9.7 rebounds per game in her third season with the Blue Angels. Williams finished sixth in the entire ACAA in points per game and fourth in the conference in rebounds.
Rae Grubbs (Sr./Covington, Ind.) was able to add to her three-point records this year with her outside shot. Grubbs finished her senior year with a program record 51 made three-pointers. That outside precision helped Grubbs finish second on the team in scoring as she averaged 10.6 points per game, 13th in the entire ACAA in scoring.
In round one of the tournament, the Blue Angels will take on the University of California Santa Cruz Banana Slugs at 3:00 PM on Sat. Feb. 29. The Banana Slugs are 13-11 on the season and won their last three games coming into the first round of the tournament.
On offense, the conference's leading offense, Banana Slugs, are led by Ashley Kowack. Kowack is averaging 16.7 points per contest and is third in the conference in that category. Kowack's teammate Kaylee Murphy has been the straw-stirs-the-drink. Not only is Murphy 11th in the ACAA in points per game with 12.8, but she is third in the conference in field goal percentage with 43.3 percent, third in the ACAA in assists with 3.2 assists per game and leads the conference in rebounds with 11.9 per contest.
The other end of the bracket has Finlandia University (12-11) take on Pine Manor College (6-12) following the tournament's opening game. Two of the conference's best defensive teams will go head-to-head at 6:00 PM on Saturday.
While both teams have held their opponents to shoot under 37.0 percent from the floor all season, both teams have formidable offensive players. Finlandia's Katie Lundeen is second in the conference in points per game with 17.4 per contest, but she leads the conference in shooting percentage with 50.7 percent and free throw percentage at 80.1 percent: second place in the ACAA in free throw percentage is teammate Bailey Froberg at 80.0 percent.
Pine Manor's Kierra Jackson leads the entire conference in scoring with 18.4 points per contest. The forward for the Gators not only scores for her team, but she is also in the top 15 in the conference in assists with 2.3 per game. Underneath the basket, Jackson has also flourished. The junior forward for PMC is second in the ACAA in rebounds per game with 11.6.
After the winners from Saturday's semi-finals are determined, the two victors will play for the championship on Sunday at noon at the Bloechl Center. Live streams and stats will be available for all three games of this weekend's 2020 ACAA Women's Basketball Conference Tournament at MtMaryAthletics.com, or just click here.
