At the 2015 NJCAA Tournament
So this is it.
The curtains come down tonight on Salina's 18-year tenure as host city for the NJCAA Women's National Basketball Tournament. A new chapter in the event's history begins next year in Lubbock on the campus of Lubbock Christian University.
The Lady Cards (31-4) will be a part of the final night at the Bicentennial Center. They are scheduled to play Walters State (32-3) in the third-place game at 5 p.m.
First-year coach Gerald Ewing's squad battled gamely against Chipola (33-1) in the semifinals Friday night before dropping a 62-48 decision. In the other semifinal, Hutchinson (36-0) fought off upset-minded Walters State for a 63-55 win.
Friday's game marked the fifth straight year the Lady Cards reached the Final Four, leaving them one shy of the school record from 1994-99. The Lady Cards had played in the previous four national title games, winning the last three to give the program eight overall, which is four more than the nearest school (Central Arizona).
Autummn Williams led the Lady Cards against Chipola with a game-high 20 points. Kami Mickens had 12. LeeLee Grant grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds.
Chipola led 29-20 at the half.
Today's game against Walters State will be the last for sophomores Jazmine Spears, Grant, Williams and Mickens. Spears, Grant and Williams will leave with a national championship, a third or fourth-place national tournament finish, two regional championships, two conference championships and at least 67 wins in 73 games.
Against Walters State, the Lady Cards will be looking for their 60th national tournament win. In 20 appearances at the event, they are now 59-17.
You can also watch today's game online at www.njcaatv.ihigh.com.
If you would like to follow the game on Twitter, follow @TVCCsports.
And, finally, to the good folks in Salina ... thank you and goodbye from your friends at TVCC.
-- BENNY ROGERS
FRIDAY MORNING
Started breathing again?
The Lady Cards survived a physical, tension-filled thriller in double overtime Thursday night for a 67-62 win against Iowa Western in quarterfinal action at the NJCAA Women's Basketball National Championship Tournament.
As a result, the third-seeded Lady Cards (31-3) are still alive for a fifth straight appearance in the national title game and fourth straight national championship -- ninth overall. They will face second-seeded Chipola (32-1) in the semifinals tonight at 8. Chipola was an easy 76-44 winner against No. 7 Southern Idaho in its quarterfinal tilt.
In the other semifinal at 6 p.m., it will be No. 1 Hutchinson (35-0) vs. No. 5 Walters State (32-2). Hutchinson held off No. 9 Northwest Florida State, 68-54, and Walters State took care of No. 4 New Mexico, 78-64.
Tonight's winners will square off in the national title game Saturday at 7 p.m. The two losers will play in the third-place game at 5 p.m.
The score was tied 50-50 at the end of regulation and 56-56 at the end of the first overtime with the Lady Cards having to rally both times to extend the game. In the second OT, Maya Singleton hit a clutch 15-foot jumper at the 31-second mark with the shot clock winding down and Kami Mickens followed with a big-time three-pointer on the next possession.
Jazmine Spears led the Lady Card scoring with 21 points. She also had 10 rebounds. Singleton had 17 points and 12 rebounds. Autummn Williams netted eight points and Mickens seven.
The Lady Cards led 30-21 at the half. Their largest lead was 26-13. The game featured eight lead changes and the score was tied six times.
Like the Lady Cards, Chipola didn't play its first game until Wednesday afternoon, racing away with an 86-52 win against No. 15 Coffeyville. The Lady Cards scored a 64-49 win against No. 19 Wallace State in their opener.
The semifinals are a good place for the Lady Cards to be. They are a perfect 11-0 in national semifinal games.
Thursday's game was the 75th for the Lady Cards in 20 national tournament appearances. They are now 59-16.
You can watch tonight's semifinals online at www.njcaatv.ihigh.com. Also, for audio only, you can hear the games at www.KSAL.com.
It’s 34 and clear in Salina this morning. Today's high is expected to reach a very nice 74 with plenty of sunshine. Saturday's high is forecast to be 78
Now that everyone has resumed breathing, please wear red and send positive thoughts and vibes to the Lady Cards.
-- BENNY ROGERS
THURSDAY MORNING
Wednesday was a day of mixed results for the Lady Cards and Cardinals.
The third-seeded Lady Cards (30-3) finally opened play in the college's 20th national tournament appearance late in the day, making the wait pay off with a 64-49 win against 19th-seeded Wallace State, which closed the season 28-6.
That moves first-year coach Gerald's Ewing's squad to the Elite 8 to face No. 6 seed Iowa Western (31-3) in the quarterfinals tonight at 7. Iowa Western was a 57-46 winner against Salt Lake in its tournament opener.
Jazmine Spears led the Lady Cards with 13 points. LeeLee Grant had 12 points and also grabbed 22 rebounds. Kami Mickens finished with 10 points and Maya Singleton eight.
The Lady Cards led 32-23 at the half.
Tonight's game against Iowa Western will mark the Lady Cards' 75th national tournament game. They are now 58-16.
With a win, the Lady Cards would advance to the semifinals Thursday at 8 p.m. against the Chipola vs. Southern Idaho winner. The Lady Cards are a perfect 11-0 in national semifinal games.
The other tournament quarterfinals will be No. 1 Hutchinson vs. No. 9 Northwest Florida State at 1 p.m. and No. 4 New Mexico vs. No. 5 Walters State at 3 p.m.
The Lady Cards' 30 wins represent the 18th 30-win season in the 40-year history of the women's basketball program.
Spotted in the crowd during the Lady Cards' game against Wallace State at the Bicentennial Center were Leon Spencer, Danny Hughes, Elena Lovato and John and Mary Margaret Budke, the parents of late former Lady Card coach Kurt Budke.
About 55 miles southwest of Salina in Hutchinson, the 11th-seeded Cardinals saw their season end with a 73-61 loss to sixth-seeded Hutchinson (28-6). The game on the Blue Dragons' home floor, was played before a capacity crowd of an estimated 6,500, likely making it the largest crowd to ever see a TVCC basketball game.
The Cardinals, who ended the year 28-5, battled gamely throughout and led briefly at 21-18 deep into the first half. Hutch then went on a 10-0 run. Hutch led 30-24 at the half.
Aldonis Foote topped the scoring for the Cardinals with 19 points. He also had 15 rebounds. Dedrick Basile closed out his brilliant Cardinal career with 12 points and Clarence Williams netted 10.
The Cardinals' 28 wins represent the fourth most in a single season, following 33 in 1981-82, 30 in 1994-95 and 29 last year.
The Cardinals are now 11-6 in national tournament appearances.
Congratulations to the Cardinals on another outstanding season. Have a safe trip home.
All remaining Lady Card tournament games will be available for viewing online at www.njcaatv.ihigh.com. In fact, all tournament games will be webcast. Also, for audio only, you can hear the games at www.KSAL.com.
It’s 39 and cloudy in Salina this morning. The high is expected to reach 56 and there is a 20 percent chance of rain. The high Friday is expected to be 74.
With the stakes increasingly higher today, make sure to keep those positive thoughts and vibes in the direction of the Lady Cards.
-- BENNY ROGERS
WEDNESDAY MORNING
A busy day ahead here in The Sunflower State.
Both the Lady Cards and Cardinals are scheduled to be in action later today. At stake are the right to advance to the national quarterfinals -- the Elite 8.
While the Lady Cards, who drew the No. 3 seed, will finally play their tournament opener today at 5 p.m. against No. 19 seed Wallace State, the Cardinals face the difficult task of taking on No. 6 Hutchinson on the Blue Dragons' homecourt in front of a crowd that will probably be near capacity (7,600) at 8 p.m.
By the time the Lady Cards (29-3) take to the Bicentennial Floor for the 74th national tournament game, 14 -- yes, 14 -- teams will already have been eliminated from the single-elimination tournament.
Wallace State (28-5) earned the right to face the three-time defending national champion Lady Cards in a convincing way, rolling to an 87-59 win against 14th-seeded Eastern Arizona.
With a win over Wallace State, the Lady Cards would advance to face the No. 6 Iowa Western vs. No. 11 Salt Lake winner at 7 p.m. Thursday.
Today's game will be the Lady Cards' first in 11 days since defeating Tyler, 65-55, in the Region XIV Tournament title game on March 7.
The Lady Cards carry a 57-16 national tournament record into the game. They have won 12 straight national tournament games and 15 of their last 16.
Meanwhile in Hutchinson, the Cardinals (28-4) were the top stories of the day Tuesday with their 78-70 come-from-behind win against Monroe College. The improved the college's national tournament record to 11-5.
The Cardinals found themselves in an early 20-6 hole and were down 31-14 around the nine-minute mark. They trailed 45-31 at halftime and continued to chip away until finally taking the lead in the final six minutes.
Sophomores Sheldon Hagigal and Dedrick Basile led the Cardinals with 26 and 20 points, respectively. The dynamic duo combined for 10 three-pointers, hitting five each. They both also had six assists each.
Freshman Melvin Swift stole the show late in the game, finishing with 11 points, including a long-range three-pointer and monster slam on back-to-back possessions that gave the Cardinals the burst of energy needed to finish the comeback.
With a win over Hutchinson (27-6), which had a bye in the first round, the Cardinals would advance to face the No. 3 Southern Idaho vs. No. 19 Georgia Highlands winner at 8 p.m. Thursday.
All Lady Cardinal tournament games will be available for viewing online at www.njcaatv.ihigh.com. In fact, all tournament games will be webcast. Also, for audio only, you can hear the games at www.KSAL.com.
You can follow updates on the Lady Cards and Cardinals on Twitter at @TVCCsports.
It was 46 and cloudy in Salina this morning. The high today is expected to be 50 and there is a 60 percent chance of rain.
To our family and friends back home, wear red and make it a great day!
-- BENNY ROGERS
TUESDAY MORNING
It's time to Cardinal up!
The 11th-seeded Cardinals (27-4) get their feet wet today with their first round game in the national tournament in the second day of the event at the historic Hutchinson Sports Arena. They are scheduled to face No. 22 seed Monroe College (NY) at noon.
Monroe is 24-8 on the year and enters the national tournament riding a four-game winning streak. Though the Cardinals lost their final outing in the quarterfinals of the Region XIV Tournament, they have won 14 of their last 15 games.
To get to the national tournament, Monroe took care of Harcum in the Region XV championship game, 71-68 in overtime. In last year's national tournament, the Cardinals fell 69-56 to Harcum in the Elite 8.
The TVCC-Harcum winner advances to face No. 6 seed Hutchinson (28-6) at 8 p.m. Wednesday.
Monday's opening day of the tournament was good to three of the five Texas teams in action. Region XIV champion Tyler was a 79-62 winner against Faulkner State and Hill slipped past Gillette, 85-83. San Jacinto was a narrow 76-74 loser to Columbia State.
South Plains, the tournament's No. 8 seed, is the fifth Texas team in the tournament, along with the Cardinals, Tyler, Hill and San Jacinto. South Plans plays Vincennes today at 4:30 p.m.
Today's game against Monroe will be the Cardinals' 16th game in tournament history. They carry a 10-5 record into the nigh noon showdown.
The third-seeded Lady Cards, meanwhile, will spend another day as a spectator at the women's tournament in Salina. They don't play their first game until Wednesday at 5 p.m., when they will face the winner between No.14 East Arizona and No. 19 Wallace State.
In Monday's opening round, 10th-seeded Tyler, the only other Texas team in the tournament, rolled to a 97-52 win against No. 23 seed Lawson State. Tyler, which fell 65-55 to the Lady Cards in the Region XIV Tournament title game, received an at-large bid.
All Lady Cardinal and Cardinal tournament games will be available for viewing online at www.njcaatv.ihigh.com. In fact, all tournament games will be webcast. Also, for audio only, you can hear the games at www.KSAL.com.
It’s 43 and clear in Salina this morning. The forecast for today calls for sunny with brisk north/northeast winds and a high of 60. Wednesay's forecast is calling for a high of 57 with a slight chance of showers.
Send all your positive vibes and thoughts the Cardinals' way today.
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
-- BENNY ROGERS
MONDAY MORNING
Lights! Camera! Action!
The 2015 NJCAA Women’s and Men's National Basketball Tournaments begin this morning at 10 a.m. The women's tournament is being played at the Bicentennial Center here in Salina, Kan.. and the men's tournament in at The Sports Arena in Hutchinson, which is about 50 miles southwest of Salina.
TVCC has double representation this year with both the Lady Cardinals, who have won the past three national titles and have played in the last four national title games, and Cardinals, who last year advanced to the Elite 8, on hand.
This will mark the fifth time in school history both teams are at the national tournament the same year. The previous four years were 1982, 1995, 1999 and 2014.
The Lady Cardinals (29-3) qualified for an eighth straight year by winning the Region XIV Tournament championship. The Cardinals (27-4 received an at-large berth after closing the regular season with 14 straight wins and falling to Tyler in the quarterfinals of the Region XIV Tournament.
Though the national tournaments begin today, both the Lady Cards and Cardinals will spectators. In fact, the Lady Cards don't play their first game until Wednesday at 5 p.m. The 11th-seeded Cardinals are scheduled to play at noon Tuesday against No. 22-seed Monroe (24-8). The Lady Cards will face the No. 14 Eastern Arizona (27-4) vs. No 19 Wallace State (27-5) winner in their first game.
First-year Lady Card head coach Gerald Ewing is making this third appearance at the national tournament, having served on Elena Lovato's staff the past two years in national championship runs.
Third-year Cardinal head coach Kris Baumann is making his third appearance at the tournament. In 2009, the guided Garden City to a sixth-place finish, going 2-2 in the event.
The Lady Cards are making their 20th appearance at the tournament -- 13th time in Salina, which is hosting the tournament for the last time. The tournament heads to Lubbock for at least three years, starting in 2016. The Lady Cards are 57-16 in national tournament games and owners of eight national titles (1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2012, 2013, 2014).
The Cardinals are 10-5 in national tournament games in their previous four trips to Hutch. In addition to last year's Elite 8 finish, they finished third in 1982, seventh in 1995 and eighth in 1999.
TVCC is one of five schools with teams in both tournaments, joining Tyler, Hutchinson, Southern Idaho and Northwest Florida State.
All Cardinal and Lady Cardinal tournament games will be available for viewing online at www.njcaatv.ihigh.com. In fact, all tournament games will be webcast.
Of course you can also keep up with the progress of the Lady Cardinals at the tournament in the Athens Daily Review. The Review is represented at the tournament by sports writer Joe Elerson. Check out the Review's coverage online at www.athensreview.com.
Gas prices are significantly lower this year for the 524-mile trip to Salina. Last year they were at at $3.35. The average price this year (as of Sunday) is $2.25. The lowest price spotted for regular unleaded was $2.12. The highest was $2.49. Here are the average prices the last 10 trips to Salina:
2004 -- $1.67
2006 -- $2.42
2008 -- $3.11
2009 -- $1.79
2010 -- $2.67
2011 -- $3.39
2012 -- $3.65
2013 -- $3.46
2014 -- $3.35
2015 -- $2.25
It’s 54 and partly cloudy in Salina this morning. Today’s high is expected to reach a record 85 with a lot of sun and wind. A cold front is expected tonight and tomorrow's high is expected to be 61. Wednesday is forecast to be the coolest day of the week with a high of 52. Temperatures are expected to be back in the 70s to close the week.
To all our family and friends back home, have a great start to the week.
-- BENNY ROGERS
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