The 2022 #GSCWBB Tournament Preview

3/1/2022 9:00:00 AM

BIRMINGHAM Ala. — The 2022 GSC Women's Basketball Championship presented by TicketSmarter is set to begin on March 1 with the quarterfinal matchups being hosted by the higher seed. Winners will then travel to the Pete Hanna Center in Birmingham, Ala., to compete in the semifinals and championship games on March 5 and 6, respectively.

All three rounds will be streamed live wil be streamed live on FloSports and can be accessed online or on the FloSports app which is available on a variety of mobile devices including Apple, Android, iPad, etc. Instructions to signup can viewed on the women's basketball tournament page.

CHAMPIONSHIP PAGE

No. 1 seed Union (23-2, 18-0 GSC) will host eighth-seeded Montevallo (13-15, 9-11 GSC). The top-seeded Bulddogs are looking to add a third title in as many years behind the high-scoring veteran duo of Shanique Lucas and Jaelencia Williams. Lucas is second for the Bulldogs in scoring with an average of 11.4 points per game, while Williams leads the team with an average 16.2 ppg and 8.8 rebounds per game. Union is the most efficient offenses in the conference with a 46.6 team field goal percentage. Montevallo seeks its first conference title with a trio of players averaging double-digit points: Marisa Snodgrass (11.6 ppg), Shyan Flack (10.6 ppg), and Jordan Jones (10.1 ppg). UM relies a troublesome defense that averages 9.93 steals per game (spg). Union took the last meeting between these two teams in a tight 74-70 contest on Jan. 13.

No. 2 seed Valdosta State (22-4, 17-2 GSC) hosts the No. 7 seed West Alabama (15-11, 9-9 GSC). The Lady Blazers are looking to add a fourth title and the first since 2017 while UWA hopes to win its second conference tournament title (2012). Valdosta State's defense has stifled opponents this season with a GSC-low 52.8 points allowed and an average opponent field goal percentage of 34.9. VSU has a pair of double-digit scorers with Kwajelin Farrar (14.2 ppg) and Nicole Heyn (13.3 ppg). Farrar is also the teams top rebounder with an average of 8.2 rpg. West Alabama is lead by the experienced duo of Tazsa Garrett-Hammett and Bria Dent. Dent averages with 14.3 ppg and 9.6 rpg while Garrett-Hammett is the Tigers' top offensive threat scoring at a clip of 18 ppg. Valdosta State is 2-0 against the Tigers this season taking the matchups on Jan. 2 and Feb. 5.

Third-seeded Lee (22-6, 15-5 GSC) is set to take on No. 6 seed Mississippi College (14-12, 9-10 GSC) in Cleveland, Tenn. Lee is searching for its second title after claiming the trophy in 2019 while Mississippi College hopes this will be the team's first conference championship. Lee has had an impressive offense all season long with 71.9 ppg while shooting 44.7 percent from the field and 31.8 percent from the beyond the arc and 15.32 assists per game (apg). Lee's offense is led bby senior guard Haley Schubert who averages 16.6 ppg, a conference-leading 4.9 apg while shooting 41.2 percent from the floor and 78.6 percent from the charity stripe. Mississippi College likes to spread the ball around with 11.78 apg while trying to force turnovers with a average of 10.22 steals per game. The Lady Choctaws are led by freshman guard Ally Alford who averages 13.4 ppg in just 23.9 minutes per game. Lee took the only matchup against MC this season with a 75-65 at Mississippi College on Jan. 20.

West Florida (19-7, 13-6 GSC) will host Delta State (13-12, 11-9 GSC) in the 4-5 matchup. UWF will look to add another title after a tournament win in 2014 while Delta State seeks to add to its conference-leading 16 titles, most recently in 2016. West Florida averages 41.2 rpg, 68.1 ppg and 15.65 apg while shooting 40.7 percent. The Argos have two of the top rebounders in the league with Jaclyn Jarnot and Zoe Piller. Jarnot scores an average of 17.3 ppg with a conference-leading 13 rpg while Piller scores 14 ppg on 55 percent shooting while grabbing 8.9 rpg. Delta State offense is led by Zyaire Ewing's 13.9 ppg and 10.2 rpg while shooting 46.5 percent. Ke'Vonshaye Stackhouse scores an average of 13.4 ppg and grabs 5.1 rpg. West Florida won the matchup against Delta State 56-52 on Jan. 15.

The winner of the 2022 GSC Women's Basketball Championship will earn an automatic qualifier for the 2022 NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship. For more information regarding the GSC tournament, including game times and tickets, be sure to visit the tournament page.