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Sada Wheeler's monster game vaulted Piedmont past No. 12 Greensboro. |
There are three unbeaten women's teams left in Division III basketball and two of them aren't receiving any votes in the Top 25. That's likely to change, at least for Piedmont which defeated No. 12 Greensboro 57-45 on Saturday.
Piedmont hosted No. 12 Greensboro in a battle of unbeatens. The homestanding Lions seized control of the game with a 25-5 run that spanned both halves. Sada Wheeler scored eight points for Piedmont in that run and tallied 17 points, 19 rebounds and seven blocks in the game. Greensboro cut the lead to 49-43 with 4:25 remaining but both teams went cold down the stretch. Greensboro only made one field goal the rest of the game. Piedmont punished Greensboro on the glass with a 53-35 advantage. The Pride only made two three-pointers in 18 attempts (11 percent). The Lions improve to 7-0.
Concordia (Tex.) is the other surprise team in the South region. The Tornados improved to 5-0, 4-0 in the American Southwest Conference by beating Mary Hardin-Baylor 65-42. No. 23 Louisiana College, which was idle today, is the final unbeaten team in the region.
No. 6 William Paterson controlled its match up with No. 17 Juniata in the day's lone Top 25 showdown. The Pioneers held the Eagles to 21 percent shooting in the second half en route to a 71-53 victory. April Smith led William Paterson's balanced attack with 16 points and eight rebounds.
UW-Eau Claire won its fourth straight and sent No. 21 UW-Whitewater to its second straight loss as the Blugolds topped the Warhawks 75-70. Callie Halama (23 points, 11 rebounds) and Ellen Plendel (16 points, 10 rebounds) posted double-doubles for UW-Eau Claire, which is 7-2, 3-0 in the WIAC. No. 7 UW-Stevens Point took care of Illinois Wesleyan 82-68. The Titans slip to 3-4 but all four losses are to ranked teams.
Two IIAC teams travelled to CCIW opponents and came back to Iowa with victories. Coe knocked off Carthage 63-57 and Simpson rallied past Wheaton (Ill.) 56-52. Tayler Smith's last second layup lifted Maryville (Tenn.) past Berry 69-68.
Two meetings of 2011 NCAA tournament
teams produced lopsided results. No. 3 George Fox rolled past
Chapman 81-47 and Kean turned 29 Messiah turnovers into 46 points
in an 87-67 Cougars' win.