Women's basketball heads to Scranton for NCAA Tournament

WESTERVILLE – For the first time in program history, the Otterbein University women's basketball team earned the automatic qualifier bid into the NCAA Tournament after winning the OAC Tournament Championship on Saturday. This marks the second trip to the NCAA Tournament for the Cardinals, earning an at-large bid in 2013.

Otterbein will travel to Scranton to face off against Randolph-Macon on Friday. Joining them in the four-team regional is the host, Scranton, and Framingham State. Cardinal alumna Diana Noles has guided the team to 22 wins, the most since the 2003-04 campaign.

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SCOUTING OTTERBEIN (22-5-14-2): Avenging a pair of losses in the regular season, the Cardinals knocked off No. 8 Baldwin Wallace, 51-45 in Saturday's OAC Tournament Championship contest.

Sophomore guard Mattie Walburn's 12.2 points per game lead the Cardinals, as she was named First Team All-OAC and the OAC Tournament MVP. She along with the sharp-shooting Kyla Irby are the only Cardinals who average double figures in scoring, as an incredibly balanced lineup has burned defenses in a multitude of ways.

Kiara Hudgins (8.5 PPG) and Abby Rawlings (7.4 PPG) have been tremendous all season long, both offensively and defensively. Hudgins was a Second Team All-OAC honoree, while Rawlings currently sits seventh nationally in assist/turnover ratio.

In the front court, the Cardinals are led by OAC Freshman of the Year, Cameron Sparks. Sparks averages just shy of a double-double with 9.9 PPG and 8.5 RPG, shooting 47 percent from the floor. She has plenty of talented depth alongside her, joined by Nicole Terry (12 blocks), Madilyn Stechschulte (6.3 RPG) and Anna Waskiewicz (4.5 RPG).

SCOUTING RANDOLPH-MACON (21-7, 13-3 ODAC): Earning an at-large bid out of the ODAC, the Yellow Jackets finished as the runner-up in last weekend's conference tournament. Prior to Saturday's loss, RMC was on an 11-game win streak, ultimately snapped by the undefeated Washington & Lee.

McKenzie Matheney leads all players, scoring 14.0 points per game and hauling in 10.0 rebounds per game. She is one of three Yellow Jackets who score in double figures, joined by Erin Porter (13.1) and Sam Smith (11.6). Last season, RMC advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 before falling to Gettysburg College.

The following are the scheduled start times for this weekend's First and Second Rounds, with the winner from the regional earning a spot in the Sweet Sixteen.

Friday, March 6 | NCAA First Round (Round of 64)
Game 1: Otterbein (22-5-14-2 OAC) vs. Randolph-Macon (21-7, 13-3 ODAC) - 6 p.m.
Game 2: Scranton (27-0, 14-0 Landmark) vs. Framingham State (17-10, 11-3 MASCAC) - 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 7 | NCAA Second Round (Round of 32)
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner - 8:30 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

#1 Kiara Hudgins: G; 5' 4"; Sophomore

#20 Kyla Irby: G; 5' 8"; Junior

#2 Abby Rawlings: G; 5' 3"; Junior

#23 Madilyn Stechschulte: F; 5' 9"; Sophomore

#24 Nicole Terry: F; 5' 10"; Junior

#21 Mattie Walburn: F; 5' 9"; Sophomore

#5 Anna Waskiewicz: G; 5' 6"; Junior

#34 Cameron Sparks: C; 6' 0"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#1 Kiara Hudgins
: 5' 4"; Sophomore
: G

#20 Kyla Irby
: 5' 8"; Junior
: G

#2 Abby Rawlings
: 5' 3"; Junior
: G

#23 Madilyn Stechschulte
: 5' 9"; Sophomore
: F

#24 Nicole Terry
: 5' 10"; Junior
: F

#21 Mattie Walburn
: 5' 9"; Sophomore
: F

#5 Anna Waskiewicz
: 5' 6"; Junior
: G

#34 Cameron Sparks
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: C