SIOUX CITY, Iowa—The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in the Naismith Quadrant will battle for a chance to play in the national semifinal on Saturday at 2 p.m. Eastern.
Top-seeded Southeastern won its 28
th consecutive contest by knocking off Bethel (Tenn.) in the Round of 16 on Thursday, 70-48 after trailing by three at halftime.
The Fire take on Morningside, which yesterday passed Freed-Hardeman for fourth all-time in NAIA Women's Basketball National Tournament victories with 43. The Mustangs are one of the "Blue Bloods" of NAIA basketball having won the red championship banner in 2004, 2005, 2009, and 2015.
Morningside is one of six Great Plains Athletic Conference teams to make the field of 64 and is located less than four miles from the Tyson Events Center. The Mustangs emerged from the opening round which they hosted, defeating Iowa Wesleyan and St. Francis (Ill.). Yesterday, Morningside rallied from 10 points down late in the third quarter to defeat Carroll (Mont.) 71-67.
The Mustangs are 30-5 thanks to one of the best offenses in the country, averaging 79.6 points per game and are 45.9% as a team from the field. Morningside is fourth in 3-point percentage at 36.8% and are third in 3-pointers per game at 10.1.
Sophomore Sierra Mitchell is fifth in 3-pointers made with 98 and is a 90.5% free throw shooter this season. Against Carroll, Mitchell had 19 points. Senior Taylor Rodenburgh is a 45.8% 3-point shooter, ranking ninth nationally and is coming off a 23-point performance against Carroll which put her over 1,000 career points.
For Southeastern,
Angela Perry led all scorers in Thursday's win over Bethel with 21 points in 25 minutes. The Sun Conference Player of the Year was 8-of-12 from the field and had five rebounds, two blocks and an assist.
Leilah Vigil added 11 points off the bench.
The winner of Saturday's game will play Monday at 7 p.m. Eastern in the national semifinal against the winner of the Cramer Quadrant which has its Round of 16 games tonight with Campbellsville facing Dordt and Indiana Wesleyan taking on The Master's.
