SIOUX CITY, Iowa—To be the best, you have to beat the best.
If the Southeastern women's basketball team wants to play in Monday's NAIA Division II Women's Basketball National Semifinal, it will have to beat a team that made it there and won it all last year.
Through two tournament games, the Fire have shot 51.9% from the field. Saturday's opponent was just slightly higher at 55%.
Southeastern has cruised to its first two victories at the National Championship, leading the tournament in average margin at 30.5.
Individually, the play of senior
Sarah Green has given the Fire an additional scorer in the post to deal with. Over the last two games, Green has averaged 18.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game along with leading the tournament in blocks with nine.
Marian checks in with a 32-3 overall record with two of its three losses to teams Southeastern has played and beaten. Tennessee Wesleyan defeated Marian 92-89 on 11/12. Fifteen days later, the Fire defeated Tennessee Wesleyan 85-53 at the NAIA Division II Showcase. Sun Conference runner-up Keiser knocked off Marian 58-53 on 12/17. The Knights also suffered a 56-39 setback at home to Indiana Wesleyan.
The Knights own the top 3-point shooter in the nation in Ana Kirby, who has converted at a 51% rate from downtown. Junior Joana Soeiro has managed the offense at a high efficiency this season, averaging 5.7 assists per game- good for fourth in NAIA Division II. She also leads the tournament so far with 17 helpers.
Senior Jessica Almeida is the top offensive threat at 13.7 points per game. In their two tournament games, Almeida has averaged 19 points.
Both Southeastern and Marian have taken care of the basketball this season. The Knights were second in NAIA Division II in assist/turnover ratio at 1.508, and posted a +6.647 turnover margin. Southeastern was right behind with a 1.391 assist/turnover ratio and a +6.148 margin.
Tip-off is at 7 p.m. Eastern Time at the Tyson Events Center.
