MIDDLETOWN, Pa- The Penn State Harrisburg women's basketball team finished its historic regular season on an absolute tear. Winning a school-record 14 straight games to end the year, the Lions finished their most recent campaign with an overall record of 19-6 and 17-1 in North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) play, good enough to earn them the league's South Division crown. This weekend, the ladies head to SUNYIT looking to secure the program's first-ever NCAA Division III tournament bid.
Below is the list of teams that are also taking place in the conference's championship tournament this weekend and how the blue and white fared in their matchups with these opponents earlier this season:
SUNYIT (21-4 overall, 15-2 NEAC)
The Wildcats earned the right to host this year's NEAC championship tourney thanks to strong records both overall and in conference play. Their 73-68 win over Penn State Harrisburg on Jan. 7 was the Lions' only conference defeat this season. All-conference third-team selection Kayla McNeil (Stillwater, NY/Stillwater) led the way offensively for SUNYIT with 19 points while NEAC player of the year Lyndsey Brognano (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) added 17 of her own. Penn State Harrisburg was paced by Daril Foose (Altoona, PA/Altoona). The junior racked up game-high totals in points (21) and rebounds (9) while Monet Cunningham (Highspire, PA/Bishop McDevitt) and Brittani Guerre (Tobyhanna, PA/Pocono Mountain West) added 14 and ten points, respectively.
Keuka (17-5 overall, 14-3 NEAC)
The Storm is the defending conference tournament champion and the Lions' semifinal opponent. Keuka is the only team to defeat SUNYIT this year in conference play, pulling off the feat in both of the teams' meetings this season. Keuka visited the Capital Union Building on Jan. 15 and were sent away with a 69-35 loss courtesy of the blue and white. The Lions jumped out to an early first half advantage and never looked back. Cunningham poured in a game-high 22 points with Foose following closely behind with 19. Brittany Hadley (Jasper, NY/Jasper-Troupsburg) was the only Storm player to reach double-digits with ten points as Penn State Harrisburg was strong defensively and limited NEAC all-conference selections Danielle Gravel (Sidney, NY/Sidney) and Jessica Bandrowski (Center Moriches, NY/Center Moriches) to just seven combined points.
Lancaster Bible (15-11 overall, 11-7 NEAC)
Lancaster Bible earned their shot at the tournament hosts in the second semifinal by besting St. Elizabeth in Tuesday night's first round matchup. Penn State Harrisburg swept the season series with the Chargers thanks to a 20-point victory on Nov. 22 and a 60-46 decision on Feb. 1. Foose recorded a double-double in the teams' first outing when she scored 13 points and grabbed 17 rebounds. Steph Yetter (Thomspontown, PA/East Juniata) added 12 and Cunningham chipped in with 11 tallies while the Chargers' all-conference first-team honoree Lauren Heliger (Reading, PA/Berks Christian) and Brooklyn Wilson (Stephens City, VA/Sherando) scored 12 points apiece. Yetter led the way in the second matchup, pouring in a game-high 15 with Guerre (14 points) and Foose (ten points) reaching double-digits as well. Wilson was Lancaster Bible's high-scorer with 11 and Emily Lloyd (Northumberland, PA/Northumberland Christian) added ten.
Penn State Harrisburg's first tournament contest takes place at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25 against North Division runner-up Keuka. The winner of that game will play the winner of the SUNYIT/Lancaster Bible matchup at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 26 in the tourney's championship game. The eventual NEAC champion will go dancing come March.
Those who would like to track the Lions' play this weekend can follow @ITWILDCATS on Twitter for the most up-to-date scores and reports.