WBU takes on Rocky Mountain College at 8 p.m. Thursday
source: wbuathletics.com
Jason Cooper will be counting on two of the things that have carried the Flying Queens all season – veteran leadership and dominance on the boards – when Wayland Baptist takes on Rocky Mountain College (Mont.) in its first game at the NAIA Women’s Basketball National Championship Final Site in Sioux City, Iowa.
“I’m looking for our older, more experienced players to step up and lead the way for us,” Cooper said in advance of the No. 8 Flying Queens (33-3) tipping off against the No. 10 Battlin’ Bears (28-4) at 8 p.m. Thursday at the Tyson Events Center.
“The Tyson Events Center is a beautiful and big arena. It is the ‘big stage’ for a reason,” Cooper said.
The first dozen games of the 12-team, single-elimination event will be video-streamed live on the NAIA Network with the semifinals and finals on Monday and Tuesday airing on ESPN3. Live stats for the WBU-RMC game will be available here.
“Rocky Mountain College is a solid all-around team. They are a team that can score in a lot of ways and run solid man mixed with a touch of zone defense,” Cooper said.
The Battlin’ Bears, champions of the Frontier Conference Tournament, are led by 5-foot-8 senior N’Dea Flye, whom Cooper called “one of the best point-guards and scorers in the NAIA.
“She can score at all levels and really makes them go. She is averaging 21 points per game (sixth in the NAIA), and that’s with everyone throwing the entire busload of players at her. We will have our hands full trying to cover her.”
Flye scored 29 points in Rocky’s 89-73 win over Dakota State in the Opening Round finals, just missing what would have been her seventh 30-plus point game of the season.
The coach added that Rocky also boasts a pair of dangerous 3-point shooters in 5-7 junior guard Kloie Thatcher and 5-11 senior forward Shauna Bribiescas, who average 13.7 and 11.9 ppg, respectively. Briebiescas went 7-for-10 from long range and scored 25 points – her second-highest total of the season – in the Opening Round finals.
“Their perimeter play on offense is tremendous,” Cooper said. “We will look to play solid defense and dominate the rebounding battle like we have the past few games.” Wayland ranks 14th in the NAIA in total rebounds, averaging 45.1 per contest.
The Flying Queens and the Battlin’ Bears have played one common opponent this season in Lewis-Clark State (Idaho). Rocky lost to the Warriors in its third game of the season Nov. 13 in Idaho, 57-54, while Wayland defeated 19th-ranked LCS in the Opening Round championship last Saturday in Hutcherson Center, 99-85.
Rocky’s other losses all came during conference play, by three in overtime to Montana Western, by 10 to 11th-ranked Carroll College (Mont.) and by two to No. 16 Providence (Mont.).
“Our offensive execution will be key for us to advance this weekend,” said Cooper, whose Flying Queens are ranked fourth in the NAIA in points per game at 84.2. Rocky averages 68.7 ppg, which is 94th in the NAIA. The Battlin’ Bears are fifth in the NAIA in turnovers at 11.8, compared to 13.0 for WBU.
It will be the first-ever game between the Flying Queens and Battlin’ Bears.
“As a coach, I spend a lot of time worrying about what the other team does well,” Cooper said. “With our Flying Queens, I have the added comfort in knowing that the other coach must be worried to death about stopping us.”
The Wayland-Rocky winner will advance to the quarterfinals at 3 p.m. Saturday against either third-ranked Thomas More (Ky.) or ninth-ranked Bryan (Tenn.), who play at 6 p.m. Thursday. All of the top four seeds in the Duer Quadrant advanced to the Round of 16: No. 1 Thomas More, No. 2 Rocky Mountain, No. 3 Wayland and No. 4 Bryan.
Should Wayland continue to advance, the Queens would play in the semifinals at 8 p.m. Monday with the championship at 7 p.m. Tuesday.