Feb. 28, 2008
By Matt Daniels, Citizen Tribune

With the regular season coming to a close, it’s step up time for the basketball teams in the Tennessee Junior and Community College Athletic Association as the NJCAA Region VII Tournament begins Monday, March 3, at ‘Z’ Buda Gymnasium on the campus of Walters State.

All 25 teams (13 men’s teams, 12 women’s teams) participating in the event will be battling for just one spot each in the NJCAA National Tournaments held in Kansas in mid March.

The tournament will run through Sunday, March 9, and admission will be $7 per day or $20 for a full tournament pass. There will be four games per day except the opening night and on Championship Sunday, and game times will be announced after the completion of the conference schedule.

The tournament will, as always, showcase some of the best talent in the country at the junior college level, as the TJCCAA is widely recognized as one of the most competitive conferences in the nation.

This year has been no exception, and the tournament appears to be a wide open affair after a wild season in conference play.

Below, fans will find capsules on each team appearing in the tournament that should help them identify with the teams that are participating in the tournament, as well as provide insight on each program in the field.
The winners of each tournament will earn trips to the NJCAA National Tournament in Kansas. Both nationals will be held March 18-22, with the women going to Salina and the men heading to Hutchinson.

WOMEN
WALTERS STATE LADY SENATORS
The No. 14 Lady Senators captured the Eastern Division crown with a 26-4 overall mark and 14-2 record in conference play, and they will look to keep their unblemished home record intact during the tournament.

Walters State completed a 14-0 regular season at home, with just one game being decided by less than 10 points.

The Lady Senators enter the tournament as defending champions, and they are riding an eight-game winning streak and playing some of their best basketball of the season.

Walters State ranks at the top of the conference in defense by allowing just 52.6 points per game, which also ranks eighth in the nation.

On offense, the Lady Senators are led in scoring by Rhon’Neisha Taylor at 13.3 points per contest, and Dana Garrett chips in 12.2 points and 7.6 rebounds a game.

Walters State received a bye through the first round, and they will open up their tournament run Friday against the winner of Jackson State/Volunteer State and Motlow State.

ROANE STATE RAIDERETTES
The Raiderettes wrapped up second place in the East with a victory over Chattanooga State last weekend, and they come to Morristown sporting a 24-5 record.

Roane State was still in contention for a division title until their loss at Walters State, but they responded with the two wins over the final week to grab a bye in the first round.

The Raiderettes are the second leading offensive team in the league with a 78.7 points per game average, and they only allow 58.1 points on defense for an effective attack.

Tikedra Jones sparks the offense by tossing in 12 points per game while Taylor Oliver contributes 11 points per contest.

Roane State will open on Friday with a quarterfinal matchup against the winner between St. Catharine and Hiwassee.

CHATTANOOGA STATE LADY TIGERS
The Lady Tigers finished third in the East and compiled a 19-7 record for the campaign, and they enter as one of the best defensive units in the conference.

Chattanooga ranks second in the league and twelfth nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 54.5 points per game.

Despite a subpar offensive season this year compared to previous years, the Lady Tigers averaged 68.7 points a game and have balanced scoring throughout the lineup.

Shanice Singleton is the only player on Chattanooga’s roster averaging double figures, as she tallies 10.8 points per game.

Caitlin Elliott and Latrice Bayman each add nine points apiece for the Lady Tigers.

Chattanooga State will begin play in the tournament on Wednesday when they take on Dyersburg State.

CLEVELAND STATE LADY COUGARS
The Lady Cougars earned the fourth seed in the East with an 8-8 conference record, and they hold an overall mark of 17-10 heading into the tournament.

Cleveland State is a hard nosed team that plays aggressively on defense with pressure and man defenses.

The Lady Cougars are not gifted with many scorers, so they rely on their tough defense to create opportunities for them to score on the other end.

Cleveland State averages 69 points per game, and allows 61.7 points. Barbara Holland leads the team with a 12.9 points per game clip.

The Lady Cougars open up Wednesday against either Jackson State or Volunteer State, depending on the outcomes of the last week of games in the Western Division.

MOTLOW STATE LADY BUCKS
The Lady Bucks enter the tournament at 13-16 having lost three of their last five games, but they pulled two upsets in the last three weeks to move out of last place in the East.

Motlow State grabbed home wins over both Chattanooga State and Roane State when both were ranked in the top-25.

The Lady Bucks average right at 69 points per game, and they allow 66.5 points a contest.

Lauran Hudgins has compiled a 15.3 points per game average to lead Motlow while Abby Jackson adds 12.2 points. Kiera Nelson chips in 11.4 points for a team that has just one sophomore on the roster.

The Lady Bucks will begin their run in the tournament Wednesday when they take on either Volunteer State or Jackson State.

HIWASSEE LADY TIGERS
The Lady Tigers opened the season 9-0 before dropping 13 of their last 15 games to finish the regular season at 11-13 and tied for fifth in the East with Motlow State at 6-10 in conference play.

Hiwassee enters the tournament averaging 62 points per game, and they hope to have a better offensive showing than the last visit to ‘Z’ Buda Gymnasium when they scored just 40 points against Walters State.

The Lady Tigers have been consistent for much of the year on defense, and they allow just 64.7 points per game.

Tasha Eddings is the leading scorer for Hiwassee at 9.5 points per game after the Lady Tigers lost Shonda Smith and her 12.4 points at the halfway point of the season.

Hiwassee will play Wednesday in their opener against St. Catharine.

SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE LADY SALUQIS
The No. 5 Lady Saluqis will have a big target on their backs when they walk into the gym due to their unblemished 23-0 record overall and 16-0 in conference action.

Southwest has been in control of the Western Division since the Christmas break by defeating each team in the East while no other team from the West had more than one win.

The Lady Saluqis are the highest scoring team in the conference at 81 points per game, and they balance their game with strong defense as well. Southwest yields just 61 points a contest.

Candace Rucker is the undoubted leader for the Lady Saluqis, and is the heavy favorite for player of the year honors in the conference.
Rucker is at or near the top of all the major statistical categories in the conference. Rucker averages 21 points (first), 7.9 rebounds (fourth), 4.3 steals (first), and she adds 2.6 assists per game.

Starkitsha Luellen chips in offensively for Southwest with 14.2 points per game.

The Lady Saluqis received a bye through the first round, and they will open play Friday against the winner of the matchup between Volunteer State/Jackson State and Cleveland State.

COLUMBIA STATE LADY CHARGERS
The Lady Chargers may be the most unique team in the conference, as all of their wins came in league play.

Columbia holds a 10-17 mark, and they grabbed second place in the West with a 10-6 conference record.

The Lady Chargers are also very shorthanded on the bench, as they may have no more than six or seven players in uniform for any game. In fact, Columbia played at least one game with just five players due to injuries and illness.

The Lady Chargers have done well to average 69 points per game with their lack of depth, and the extra rest earned with the bye of the first round will be beneficial for Columbia.

Debrisha Robinson is the third leading scorer in the conference at 16.6 points per contest while Taylor Fayette adds 12.7 points a game. Keturah Brown also contributes 12 points per game for the Lady Chargers.
Columbia State will open their tournament action Friday when they take on the winner of the game between Chattanooga State and Dyersburg State.

SAINT CATHARINE LADY PATRIOTS
The Lady Patriots have yet to complete their regular season, as they have a makeup game with Volunteer State, but St. Catharine has wrapped up third in the West with an 11-9 overall record.

The Lady Patriots have had a wild season with head coach Lena Bramblett’s pregnancy, as she has turned the coaching over to the assistants when they go on the road.

St. Catharine has responded well and had a great year offensively, averaging right at 76 points per game, while they give up 66 a game.

Erin Rogers has had a fantastic year for the Lady Patriots by leading them in scoring at 20.5 points per game, which is second in the conference.
Reena Halliburton adds 16 points per game, and Tyqea Butler contributes another 15.4 points to create a three-headed monster on offense for St. Catharine.

The Lady Patriots will take the floor on Wednesday when they take on Hiwassee in an opening round game.

JACKSON STATE LADY GENERALS
The Lady Generals have put themselves in a position to capture fourth place in the West, and all they need is a win in their season finale on Thursday against Volunteer State or a Vol State loss to St. Catharine.

Jackson State has garnered a 6-14 record overall and 3-12 in conference play, and they have struggled to find their way through the rough and tumble conference slate.

The Lady Generals have only been able to average 63.3 points per game, while they allow nearly 76 points a contest.

Shan’dedra Cook has led the Jackson State offense all season with a 15.5 points per game average, and Kendra Toone adds 10.5 points.

The Lady Generals will play on Wednesday with their opponent yet to be determined. A fourth place finish would pit Jackson State against Motlow State while a fifth place finish would place them in a matchup against Cleveland State.

VOLUNTEER STATE LADY PIONEERS
The Lady Pioneers have two more games to play before the tournament begins, which could work to their advantage while nearly everyone else has a week off.

Vol State currently holds a 6-18 record, and they need two victories to move into fourth place in the West since they have a 2-12 league mark.
The Lady Pioneers have begun to play their best basketball in the last three weeks, and they have battled through the rough start to play much closer in their last six games.

Tranisha Benton is the leading scorer for Vol State with a 14.2 points per game average while Ashley Harris and Alicia Lee add 11 and 10.5 points, respectively.

The Lady Pioneers will tangle with either Motlow State or Cleveland State on Wednesday.

DYERSBURG STATE LADY EAGLES
It’s been a tough season for the Lady Eagles.

Dyersburg State finished the regular season with a 1-15 record in the TJCCAA, and they managed just a 2-23 mark overall for the year.

The Lady Eagles rank last in the conference in scoring offense at 57.4 points per game, and they allow 81 points a contest to rank last in the defensive category as well.

Candice Wright and Aminda Tharp have been consistent for Dyersburg most of the year on offense, with Wright tossing in 13.1 points per game and Tharp adding 12 points per contest.

The Lady Eagles will hit the hardwood Wednesday when they take on Chattanooga State in an opening round matchup.