LCSC basketball teams learn of NAIA
tournament opponents  

3-7-07 

The Lewis-Clark State College women’s and men’s basketball teams will both open NAIA national tournament play next Thursday as the 32-team fields for both tournaments were announced Wednesday. 

The LCSC women, which will play their tournament in Jackson, Tenn., received one of four No. 2 seeds in the tournament and will open play against Columbia College in Missouri at 8:45 a.m., PDT. The Warrior women are 30-2 on the season, while the Cougars are 26-7 and were ranked No. 27 in the final NAIA poll, which came out at the end of February, prior to conference tournaments. The Warriors were No. 2 in that poll. 

On the men’s side, which is seeded different than the women and ranks teams No. 1-32, the Warriors drew the No. 14 seed at 26-6, and will take on No. 19 seed Northwestern Oklahoma, 20-11, at 6 p.m., PDT in Kansas City, Mo. LCSC was ranked No. 16 in the final NAIA poll, while the Rangers were No. 24. 

With victories, both Warrior teams would play on Friday. The women would play the winner of the Cumberland (Tenn.)-Azusa Pacific contest at 10:30 a.m., while the men will face the winner of No. 3 seed Georgetown (Kent.) and Xavier (La.) at 6 p.m. The quarterfinals in both tournaments are March 17, while the semifinals are March 19, and the championship games are March 20. 

The Warrior women are playing in their 11th national tournament in the past 12 years and this is their 16th straight season with 20-plus wins. The 30 victories this season is the second-best single season win total. With three wins at the tournament, LCSC will tie the all-time season win record of 33, set during the 2000-01 season.  

Columbia College finished second in the American Midwest Conference with an 11-3 mark and fell to No. 4 seed Harris Stowe St. in the championship game of the AMC tournament. 

Like LCSC, Columbia has a majority of seniors on its team. The Cougars are averaging 78.7 points per game and allowing 68.6. The team is shooting 42.7 percent from the field, 29.4 percent from the 3-point line and 69.9 percent at the foul line. The team also has forced 740 turnovers, but committed 671. 

Amber Lewellen, a 5-foot-9 junior guard, leads the team in scoring at 18.6 points per game and is second in rebounds at 5.71. LeAnn Fossum, a 6-0 senior forward, is averaging 13.3 points per game, while Whitney Widaman, a 5-6 freshman guard, is hitting for 11.8 points per game. 

The Warriors are averaging 78.2 points per game, but are only allowing 59.0. LCSC also has forced 716 turnovers this season and committed 550. The Warriors are shooting 45.9 percent from the field 36 percent from the 3-point line, and 68.7 percent from the foul line. 

The Warriors and Cougars have no common opponents this season. 

The LCSC men’s basketball team does have one common opponent with the Rangers, and it’s the No. 2 team in the country, Oklahoma City University. The Warriors lost to Oklahoma City 79-51 in a tournament at Lewiston in November, and OCU beat the Rangers 81-50 in early January. However, in their second meeting, as well as in the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament, the Rangers defeated OCU 69-60 and 69-62 for OCU’s only two losses this season. 

The Rangers appear to be peaking at the right time as they have won seven of their last nine games. They finished fourth in the conference at 10-8, including just 2-7 on the road. 

Northwestern Oklahoma is average 68.8 points per game and is allowing 64.1. The Rangers are shooting 44.2 percent from the field and 34.1 percent from the 3-point line. 

Like the Warriors, the Rangers use several players in games. Tramain Davis, a 6-5 senior forward, leads the team in scoring and rebounding at 12.6 points and 6.0 boards per game. Gary Nunez, a 6-7 senior center, is at 10.6 points, followed by 5-10 freshman guard Brandon Brown at 10.3 points, and Shane Hansen, a 6-4 junior guard, at 10.0 points. 

The Warriors men are making their sixth national appearance, and third in the last six years. The 26 wins are the second most in a season, trailing only 31 set by the 2003-04 teams. 

LCSC has made its mark defensively this year. The team is second in the NAIA in fewest points allowed per game at 60.3, and is fourth in 3-point field goal percentage at 30.6. LCSC is also outscoring opponents by an average of 17.6 points per game, which ranks third in the country. 

The LCSC athletic department will hold an informal send-off party for both Warrior teams on Sunday at 5 p.m. on the East Mezzanine inside the LCSC Activity Center. 

Free food and beverages will be provided and the event is open to the public. There will be sandwiches from Subway, salads, and assorted items to drink. 

Both teams qualified for their respective national tournaments and will leave for nationals early next week. 

Players and coaches from both teams will be in attendance.