LCSC basketball teams learn of NAIA
tournament opponents

3-7-07 

The Lewis-Clark State College women’s will open NAIA national tournament play next Thursday against Columbia College of Missouri at 8:45 a.m., PDT. 

LCSC, which will play its tournament in Jackson, Tenn., received one of four No. 2 seeds in the tournament. 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. 

With a victory, LCSC would play the winner of the Cumberland (Tenn.)-Azusa Pacific contest at 10:30 a.m., next Friday. The quarterfinals are March 17, while the semifinals are March 19, and the championship game is March 20. 

The Warriors 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.