(live stats) / (bracket) / (media notes)
Widener's women's basketball team has been given the number four seed for the ECAC South Tournament and on Wednesday will host fifth-seeded Gwynedd-Mercy at 7:00 pm at Schwartz Center.
Tickets are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, $2 for non-Widener students and free for those under age six. Widener students are admitted free with a valid ID and no complimentary tickets will be allotted.
The Pride (15-11, 11-3 Commonwealth Conference) are making their fifth postseason appearance in school history and second in the ECAC South Tournament. They also competed in 2005 as well as playing in the NCAA Tournament in 1982, 2004 and 2009.
Freshman Lil Carney (Narbeth, PA) has exploded onto the scene at guard with her aggressive style and dynamic play, helping her to be named first team all-league and conference Rookie of the Year. She is 11th in the conference with 11.4 points per game, 18th with 4.9 rebounds per contest, fifth with 3.35 assists per game, sixth with a .774 free throw percentage, 11th with 1.88 steals per contest and ninth with 1.42 three-pointers per game.
Sophomore center Casey Pritz (Abington, PA), tabbed second team all-league, again has played solidly and made teams shift their defense around her. Last season's conference Rookie of the Year is 16th in the conference with 9.9 points per game, fifth with 7.3 rebounds per contest, second with a .555 shooting percentage and first with 1.81 blocks per game.
Senior Becky Tyler (Wynnewood, PA) has stepped up in a big way at forward, giving Widener rebounding, hustle and determination. She is one of two on the squad to start all 26 games this season in addition to Carney The second team all-conference pick from 2008 is 22nd in the conference with 8.2 points per game, 10th with 6.2 rebounds per contest and seventh with a .773 free throw percentage.
Senior Lindsey Isler (New Hope, PA) has given Widener consistently solid play since taking over the point guard role early last season. She has done it all with her phenomenal defense and great leadership in helping the Pride get to this point. Isler is sixth in the league with 3.23 assists per game and fourth with a 1.25 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Freshman guard Kate Dellinger (Wrightsville, PA) has been an integral part of Widener's starting lineup. The squad is 7-2 when she starts and 7-1 as part of a lineup with Tyler, Isler, Pritz and Carney. Dellinger is 25th in the conference with 7.7 points per game and tied for 19th with 4.8 rebounds per game.
The Pride this season advanced to the conference semifinals before bowing last Wednesday at No. 20 Messiah. The squad played six games this season against nationally ranked teams, defeating then No. 20 Lebanon Valley, 68-60, on February 7.
Widener has won four conference titles in its history, grabbing the Middle Atlantic Conference crown in 1981 and 1982 as well as the Commonwealth Conference championship in 2004 and 2009.
This will mark the second time these schools have met in postseason. Gwynedd-Mercy notched a 66-52 home triumph in the first round of the 2004 NCAA Tournament.
The remaining quarterfinals pit top-seeded Delaware Valley against No. 8 seed Juniata, second-seeded St. Vincent (PA) hosting No. 7 seed Pitt-Greensburg and third-seeded Wesley battling No. 6 seed Alvernia. The winners meet Saturday in the semifinals at the site of the highest remaining seed.
ECAC South Women's Basketball Tournament
Wednesday, March 3 – Quarterfinals
No. 5 Gwynedd-Mercy (17-9) at No. 4 Widener (15-11), 7:00 pm
No. 8 Juniata (15-11) at No. 1 Delaware Valley (17-9), 7:00 pm
No. 7 Pitt-Greensburg (17-9) at No. 2 St. Vincent-PA (20-5), 7:00 pm
No. 6 Alvernia (16-9) at No. 3 Wesley (17-10), 7:00 pm
Saturday, March 6 – Semifinals
(at highest remaining seed)
Widener/Gwynedd-Mercy winner vs. Delaware Valley/Juniata winner, TBA
St. Vincent-PA/Pitt-Greensburg winner vs. Wesley/Alvernia winner, TBA
Sunday, March 7 – Final
(at Saturday's site)
Semifinals Winners
