HobbsDailyReport.com
HICKORY – After winning to honor its senior players over the weekend, Lenoir-Rhyne University is preparing to make a run at the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) women’s basketball tournament championship.
The Bears (16-12) netted the tournament’s No. 4 seed and a home game Wednesday at 7 p.m. against fifth-seeded Newberry S.C. (16-11) by beating Lincoln Memorial 58-55 on Saturday at Shuford Gym.
LRU SCHEDULE: https://lrbears.com/schedule.aspx?schedule=193
If LRU can get past Newberry, it will move on to Greenville, S.C., and a Saturday semifinal at noon against No. 8 Catawba (13-14) or No. 1 Anderson, S.C. (26-2) at the Timmons Arena.
The tournament title game is Sunday at 1 p.m., with the winner earning the league’s automatic bid into the NCAA Division II tournament.
LRU closed the regular season with double-figure scoring from Madeline Hardy (14 points), Madi Suddreth (13 points) and Kennedy Weigt’s 10 points.
Suddreth, a senior from Taylorsville, scored six of the Bears’ final 10 points against Lincoln Memorial.
Emily Griffth led Lincoln Memorial (15-13, 10-10), which got into the tournament as a No 6 seed, with 18 points and her twin sister, Rachel, added 13.
The Bears have won four straight games, and they are 7-6 at home this season.
SOUTH ATLANTIC CONFERENCE
BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT PAIRINGS
WOMEN
Wednesday’s quarterfinal games
No. 8 Catawba (13-14) at No. 1 Anderson, S.C., (26-2,), 7 p.m.
No. 5 Newberry, S.C. (16-11) at No. 4 LENOIR-RHYNE (16-12), 7 p.m.
No. 6 Lincoln Memorial (15-13) at No. 3 Carson-Newman (22-6), 7 p.m.
No. 7 Tusculum (16-8) at No. 2 Wingate (20-7), 7 p.m.
Saturday’s semifinals
(at Timmons Arena in Greenville, S.C.)
Anderson-Catawba winner vs. LRU-Newberry winner, noon
Lincoln Memorial-Carson-Newman winner vs. Tusculum-Wingate winner, 2:30 p.m.
Sunday’s championship
(at Timmons Arena in Greenville, S.C.)
Semifinals winners, 1 p.m.