Prairie View A&M earned its third-consecutive automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament by winning it’s third Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship Tournament in a row.
The 16th seeded Lady Panthers travel to No. 1 seed Baylor’s backyard to play the regional host in a 6:30 p.m. match up on Sunday at the Ferrell Center in Waco. The 2013 NCAA Tournament opening round game will mark the third year in a row that Prairie View A&M has entered the Big Dance as a No. 16 seed.
The Lady Panthers will turn to SWAC Player of the year Latia Williams, who will make her fourth NCAA Tournament appearance with Sunday’s game, and SWAC Tournament MVP Kiara Etienne to provide perimeter and midrange threats to keep Brittney Griner and the Bears honest.
Williams is averaging 13.2 points, 9.2 rebounds and three assists this season and was pivotal in the Lady Panthers SWAC Tournament Championship win and their current eight-game win streak. Etienne is averaging 11.3 points and 2.7 rebounds this season. She exploded for a career-high 31 points in a 100-87 quadruple-overtime victory over Mississippi Valley State in the conference championship game.
Griner has been crowned by multiple ESPN analysts and coaches as the most dominant post player in NCAA history, so the Lady Panthers will turn to third-year coach Toyelle Wilson to formulate a game plan to contain the 6-8 phenomena that is averaging 23.6 points, nine rebounds 4.1 blocks and 2.4 assists per contest. The Lady Panthers also have to worry about the All-American guard play of Odyssey Sims. The junior guard is averaging 12.5 points and 5.7 assists for Baylor.
Sophomore point guard Jeanette Jackson, who has picked up her play as of late, is averaging 11.5 points, 3.4 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals during the Lady Panthers eight-game win streak. Her ability to control the tempo and establish a perimeter presence will be a key cog in determining the outcome of Prairie View A&M’s NCAA Tournament first round game.
Courtesy: Prairie View A&M Sports Information
