ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Golden Bears have gotten their practice sessions in down in Durango, Colo., preparing for the 2010 NCAA Central Region Tournament, hosted by Fort Lewis College. In the first-ever meeting between the Golden Bears and Grizzlies, #3 Concordia (24-5) takes on #6 Adams State College (21-7) in the tournament quarterfinals on Friday at 4:00 pm (CT). The matchup pits CU's high velocity offense against a tough ASC defense and rebounding squad. Tickets for the Central Region Tournament are available online and at the Whalen Gymnasium door. Fans unable to make the spring trip south can follow the action online all weekend long! LIVE STATS - WATCH LIVE - COMPLETE RELEASE
Tickets for the tournament will be available for purchase at http://goskyhawks.tix.com prior to the event. They can also be purchased at the door.
Ticket Info Adults Seniors/Students
Single Day $10 $5
All-Sessions $25 $10
Adams State College is a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) and enters the tournament as the #6 seed with an overall 21-7 record. The Grizzlies have a tough defense that has limited opponents to 33.6% on the year, 7th best in the NSIC. Their most potent weapon, however, is in their rebounding, where they lead the nation with a +15.6 margin. Guard Vera Jo Bustos has a team high 15.8 ppg and has connected on 59 three-pointers this season. Small forward Kendra Coveal has added 12.0 ppg with a 50.9% shooting average as the second and final player on the squad averaging double figures for scoring. Bustos and Coveal are also ASC's leading rebounders, although all players on the court have chipped in well on the rebounding front.
The Golden Bears counter with a high-powered offense that has put up 81.3 ppg this season. They are shooting 47.1% from the field and have only rarely been stalled in their shooting performances this year. The team has four players averaging 10 or more points per game, led by junior guard Maurika Hickman with 13.3 ppg. Gillian Bjerke and Jineen Williams, also leading scorers for CU, will have to stay on top of their rebounding game to counter the Grizzlies on the glass. The Golden Bears move the ball well and have a wide array of offensive weapons, from power down low to quickness off of the bounce to three-point shooting.
Turnovers could play a pivotal role in the Central Region Quarterfinal matchup, as Adams State has given up the ball nearly twice as often as Concordia. If given the chance to snag passes and run the court, the Golden Bears may be able to take the advantage in the game.
CU's 2010 berth in the NCAA Tournament is the 7th trip to the dance in school history out of 8 possible chances. The team made it to the regional bout for the first six straight years in which they were eligible after joining the NCAA. They missed th chance last season but are pleased to be making the trip again with great chances of success. Overall, Concordia has a 5-5 record at the NCAA Tournament. The team is 4-2 in the quarterfinal round and is 1-1 against RMAC teams.
