Lacy Corker wanted to believe her coach, Brandon Schneider. She really did.
She just couldn’t.
Shortly after Emporia State’s 120-83 drubbing of Southwest Baptist on Saturday, Schneider tried to tell Corker that Washburn had been upset by Central Missouri, meaning the Lady Hornets had clinched a share of the MIAA regular-season title.
It sounded too good to be true, so Corker assumed it was.
“Brandon showed me the piece of paper that said the score. I looked at it and I was like, ‘Don’t lie, Brandon,’” Corker said with a smile. “But it was exciting to see they had lost.”
The 68-59 victory by the Jennies means that a new banner will hang at White Auditorium for years to come: One that reads “2007-08 MIAA Conference Champions.”
ESU finished the regular season 14-4 in conference play.
“Having Central beat them was the best feeling for us. We want to, like, send them gifts or something, because they really helped us out there,” Corker said with a laugh. “We got a big win that night, too.”
It is ESU’s first regular-season league championship since 2004, meaning no player on the roster had ever accomplished the feat.
That included ESU senior Michelle Stueve.
“I always told Stueve, ‘We’re going to get one before you leave here,’” Corker said. “I wanted her to get something. We did it for her.”
Now, the Lady Hornets will try to extend their success into the postseason, taking on Truman at 6 p.m. Thursday in the first round of the MIAA Tournament.
If Vegas were handicapping, ESU would come in as the heavy favorite. The Lady Hornets defeated Truman 98-61 at home on Jan. 16, then took an easy 80-54 triumph in Kirksville, Mo., one week ago today.
“It’s hard to beat a good team three times,” ESU freshman forward Alli Volkens said, “but we’ll be just as motivated, I think.”
The Bulldogs should come in with a lot to play for, as they will need to win the conference tournament to advance to next week’s NCAA Regionals.
Still, the Lady Hornets will say they have quite a bit riding on this weekend as well.
ESU has won 10 of 11 games and would like to keep the momentum it has picked up along the way.
Last year, ESU struggled against Washburn in a 73-61 loss in the MIAA Tournament semifinals, and that defeat seemed to have some carryover effect in the Lady Hornets’ 81-77 first-round NCAA loss to Texas A&M-Commerce.
“It’s very important,” Corker said of the conference tournament. “We want to do good here, then take it to the next level at Regionals.”
ESU’s biggest challenge on Thursday will once again be trying to limit Truman’s first-team All-MIAA forward Georgia Mueller.
The junior averages 22.4 points and 9.8 rebounds per game and, despite her team’s most recent loss, performed well against the Lady Hornets.
A week ago, Mueller had 24 points on 10-of-14 shooting to go with nine rebounds.
“It’s tough when she throws that many shot fakes at you,” Volkens said. “She’s good.”
ESU should still be brimming with confidence, especially after Saturday’s 120-83 thumping of Southwest Baptist on Senior Night.
In that game, the Lady Hornets set season highs in points, field goals, 3-pointers, field-goal percentage, rebounds and assists.
rdgrey (anonymous) says...
Where can I find a bracket for the mens and womens games?
March 6, 2008 at 4:55 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )