{"id":2424,"date":"2018-09-27T15:40:07","date_gmt":"2018-09-27T15:40:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/yearbook\/?p=2424"},"modified":"2019-06-29T19:38:25","modified_gmt":"2019-06-30T00:38:25","slug":"layup-for-the-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/yearbook\/2018\/09\/27\/layup-for-the-win\/","title":{"rendered":"Layup for the Win"},"content":{"rendered":"

By: Mackenzie Boos<\/span><\/p>\n

W<\/span><\/a>estern\u2019s women\u2019s basketball team went 13-18 on the season after a Cinderella run this year, knocking off some top seeded teams and became the first No. 12 seed to ever win a MIAA quarterfinal game.<\/span><\/p>\n

Getting to the semifinals game was no easy task for the team or Head Coach Rob Edmisson<\/a> as the team was challenged with injuries. <\/span><\/p>\n

While the team had an injury and an eligibility decreased roster, their energy kept up while they beat No. 5 Nebraska Kearney and No. 4 Central Oklahoma.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cera Ledbetter<\/a>, a senior forward, said the Nebraska Kearney game stood out to her the most because they were the underdogs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy favorite part of the season was the conference tournament when we took down the No. 5 team,\u201d Ledbetter said. \u201cNo one expected us to advance.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

To knock down the No. 4 Central Oklahoma, Savannah Lentz<\/a> pitched in from behind the arch and hit three shots herself. Lentz was the third leading scorer this season.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHaving our problems throughout the season, coach always told us that our hard work and determination would pay off in the end, which it did when we made a tournament run,\u201d Lentz said. \u00a0\u201cWe played hard and won the games we knew we could win, but no else thought we could.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, the Griffons couldn\u2019t keep up with No. 9 Lindenwood in the semifinal game and ended their season losing 41-59.<\/span><\/p>\n

Three members of the Griffons basketball team, Ledbetter, Dossou Ndiaye<\/a> and Melia Richardson<\/a> were named All-MIAA. Ledbetter averaged 7.7 points a game and 4.0 rebounds. Ndiaye averaged 9.2 points and 5.3 rebounds. Richardson averaged 11.3 points and added on a 2.4 rebound average.<\/span><\/p>\n

Western was the first No. 12 seed that advanced to the conference semifinals. This was a second time appearing in the MIAA semifinals for Head Coach Edmisson.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With such a challenging season, there is nothing the team can\u2019t overcome in the future.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\t\t