By Benny Rogers/ TVCC Sports Information
In just a matter of hours, the Lady Cardinals will step onto the floor the of the Bicentennial Center and attempt to go where no school as gone before.
The Lady Cardinals, playing in the NJCAA title game for a fourth straight year, will be looking for an unprecedented third straight national championship.
Since the NJCAA women’s national tournament began in 1975, just two schools have had a chance to pull off the trifecta — Panola in 1979 and the Lady Cardinals in 1999 — only to be denied. Now, the Lady Cardinals get another chance.
To make history, the No. 1-seeded Lady Cardinals (35-1) will have to take care of No. 3-seeded Hutchinson, which is the nation’s only undefeated team at 35-0. Game time is 7 p.m. after the 5 p.m. third-place game between Central Arizona and Chipola.
The Lady Cardinals, in their 19th national tournament, ran their record in the semifinals to 11-0 Friday night with an 82-63 win against Central Arizona. Hutchinson won its way to the title game, jumping out to a big lead and holding off Chipola for a 78-71 win.
Tonight’s title game will be rematch of the 2012 championship. The Lady Cardinals prevailed 69-55 in that one.
The Lady Cardinals are making their 11th appearance in the title game. They are 7-3 in the previous 10, winning titles in 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2012 and 2013.
The Lady Cardinals bring a 28-game winning streak into the title game and have won 107 of their last 109 games (107 of 108 on the court).
Tonight’s game will be the last as a Lady Cardinal for sophomores Adut Bulgak, Roddricka Patton, Shlonte’ Allen, Dominique Brooks, Julianne Anchling, Kyhonta Doughty, Deborah Meeks and Coco Baker. Bulgak, Patton, Allen, Brooks, Anchling and Doughty are 71-2 (71-1 on the court) in their two years.
In case you’re wondering if the Lady Cardinals’ four straight title game appearances is a record, it is not. But they do hold the record, having played in six straight championship games from 1994-99.
KCKL (95.9 FM) will broadcast tonight’s game. You can also listen online at www.kcklfm.com.
You can also watch tonight’s title game online at www.njcaatv.ihigh.com.
If you would like to follow the game on Twitter, follow @TVCCsports.
It’s time to go all out all you Lady Cardinal fans back home. Make sure to wear red while you watch the title game online tonight. Also, keep those positive thoughts and vibes coming.
One more to go!