More conference tournaments got underway today in the States with three more Kiwi players taking to the court.
Cal State Northridge Matadors, helped by a big 19 points haul from Tessa Boagni, led almost from start to finish in a 62-57 win against University of Hawaii in the first round of the Big West Conference Tournament. Boagni was a perfect 5 from 5 from the foul line to compliment 7 from 13 from the floor. In the process Boagni passed 1,000 career points for the Matadors.
The Cantabrian centre also added a team high equaling 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks and a steal.
The Matadors, seeded No 5 will face UC Santa Barbara in the quarter-finals tomorrow. The two teams recorded a win apiece when they met during the regular season.
Despite having a slightly higher seeding Katelin Noyer and her Fresno State Bulldogs team bowed out in the quarter-finals of the Mountain West Conference Tournament in Las Vegas. The Bulldogs, seeded No 4 went down 71-55 to fifth seed Colorado State.
As reported yesterday the Big Sky Conference is also up and running with Izayah Le’afa’s Sacramento State Hornets in action against Portland State today.
The Hornets, ranked 11th had beaten Portland State (ranked 6th) twice in regular season play. However they have been hit by a series of injuries to their guard line up of late. One of those affected has been Le’afa. Unfortunately the former Wellington player was only able to play 11 minutes today – his influence missed as Sacramento State slid to a 71-67 season ending loss.
Tomorrow Matt Freeman (Oklahoma), Sam Timmins (Washington), Sam Waardenburg (Miami), Jacinta Beckley (Seattle), Krystal Leger-Walker and Tiarna Clarke (Northern Colorado) take to the floor for the first time whilst Brooke Blair (Idaho State) and Boagni are back in action.
On Friday Jack Salt (Virginia) hits the pine.
LACEY LOWDOWN 