(Joplin, MO) The Pima Community College women’s basketball team (28-5) would not be denied on Wednesday in its NJCAA Division II Tournament quarterfinal matchup with Lincoln Land Community College (31-3).
The No. 6 seeded Aztecs took the lead eight seconds into the game and never looked back in their 82-56 win over the No. 3 seeded Loggers. For the second straight game, the Aztecs ended their opponent’s 13-game winning streak. Pima has won 11 straight.
The Aztecs took a pair of 10-point leads in the first quarter but turned it on in the second quarter. Up 21-14, the Aztecs went on a 15-0 run and held the Loggers scoreless for 7:22 to take a 36-14 lead. After a timeout was called with 6:50 left in the half, the Aztecs turned to their bench, who with the exception of starter Mattanaya Vital (Amphitheater HS) still on the floor, outscored Lincoln Land 10-7 the rest of the quarter as Pima led 42-21 at the break. They outscored the Loggers 21-7 in the quarter.
The Aztecs used a 10-4 run in a little over three minutes to continue to build their lead to 60-31 with 2:59 left in the third quarter. Freshman Kiley Sours-Miller hit a pair of free throws to give Pima their biggest lead in the fourth quarter at 70-47 (33 points).
The Aztecs shot 46 percent from the field (32 for 69) and were 81 percent (13 for 16) from the free throw line. Pima dominated the boards out-rebounding Lincoln Land 55-29 and were 17-7 on the offensive glass. The Aztecs also scored 40 points in the paint.
Sours-Miller scored 20 of her team-high 24 points in the second half and finished with a double-double adding 16 rebounds. She was 11 for 17 from the field.
Sophomore Rori Hoffmeyer (Cibola HS) posted 19 points to go with nine rebounds and three blocks. She set the tone in the first quarter with nine points and five rebounds and scored the first six points in the second quarter. She was 6 for 11 from the field (6 for 7 in the first half) and 7 for 10 from the foul line.
Freshman Kennedi Niemann picked up where she left off in the first game against North Central Missouri (16 points) as she closed it out with 17 points. She was 3 for 6 from three-point range and 4 for 4 from the free throw line.
Sophomore Reece Niemann provided a spark in the second quarter off the bench finishing with six points as she went 3 for 3 from the field and also grabbed two rebounds. Vital also added six points along with four assists and three steals.
Freshman Melicia Nelson (Window Rock HS) contributed with two points, eight rebounds and seven assists.
The Aztecs will play in the NJCAA Division II National Semifinal round on Friday at 8:00 p.m. (CT); 6:00 p.m. (Tucson time). Their opponent will be determined in Thursday’s quarterfinal game between No. 2 seeded CCBC Essex (MD) and No. 7 Lake Land Community College (IL).
PCC 21 21 22 18 82
LLCC 14 7 14 21 56
Press Release courtesy of Pima Aztec Athletics – Raymond Suarez
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