“Bi-Regional” victory sends team back to Peoria for 11th straight D-II tournament
For a vanload of women and their coaches, a mid-March drive east will be quite familiar.
The Kirkwood Community College women’s basketball program is headed back to Peoria, Illinois to defend their three-straight-years NJCAA Division II crown. The Eagles made it decisive Tuesday evening in a bi-regional contest over Southeast Nebraska Community College played in Council Bluffs. Kirkwood walked away with it, 79-26.
Lanae Rash topped Kirkwood scoring with 14 points in the lopsided contest. Danielle Hellickson added 11, Andi Waughaman another 10. The Eagles led 43-12 at halftime.
After an opening regional tournament game that saw Kirkwood relatively squeak past Iowa Lakes 58-49, the Eagles outscored their next three opponents by an even hundred points, 217-117. They are now 34-1 on the season, with their only loss against tourney host Illinois Central.
“After getting a scare from Iowa Lakes, this group has been playing with a real sense of urgency,” Muhl observed.
The win sends the Cedar Rapids-based team to its ninth straight Division II tournament hosted at Illinois Central College in Peoria. The Eagles open Thursday, March 18 at 2 p.m. against the winner of the Illinois Valley/Lake Michigan College game.