Ocelots Punch Ticket To National Tournament With Win Over Lansing

FLINT, MI – The Ocelots squared off against the Lansing Stars in the Great Lakes District B Championship for a bid to the NJCAA women's basketball national championship tournament.

Right from tip-off, this would prove to be a defensive battle with a trip to the national tournament on the line. Nothing would say defensive battle more than the first 2:47 of the game as neither team would be able to get on the scoreboard. Eventually, things would turn as Schoolcraft would manage to put up 17 points in the opening quarter to just 10 from Lansing. However, things in the 2^nd quarter would be flipped. The Stars would be the ones scoring 17 points while the Ocelots would turn in 10 points in the quarter. Raegan Byrd led the way for Schoolcraft in the 1^st half with 8 points.

The 3^rd quarter would prove to be the difference maker for Schoolcraft. With Sharon Smith logging 6 points in all 10 minutes, the Ocelots outscore the Stars by 10 points while holding Lansing to just 10 points, once again. The goal in the 4^th for the Ocelots was to not let Lansing get any momentum. The goal would remain the focus throughout the entire bench as the sophomore leader, Sharon Smith, would lead the way again with 8 points.

By outscoring Lansing 14-12 in the final quarter, Schoolcraft put a punch in their ticket to the national tournament with a 61-49 final. For the game, Smith would pace the offense for the Ocelots with 14 points while Byrd would finish with 10 points and Mariah Scott would help with 11. Mia Wright cleaned up the boards off the bench, leading the team with 10 boards, including 6 on the offensive end.

The Ocelots now await to see their path to the national championship as the NJCAA D2 Women's Basketball Tournament seedings will be announced on Tuesday, March 11 at 1:00PM.