By By Richard Dark/The Meridian Star
March 4, 2001
The Meridian Community College Lady Eagles have roared through the regular season and are on one of the more formidable hot streaks you will ever encounter, having won 15 out of 16 since Christmas.
Last Wednesday, the Lady Eagles won at Wallace-Hanceville the team entering the Alabama playoffs as the top seed in overtime.
But all of the above will be meaningless if the Lady Eagles (26-4) can't reinforce it this week in the Region 23 Tournament that tips off Monday at A.E. Wood Coliseum on the campus of Mississippi College.
MCC's 13-1 record against Region 23 teams looms large.
The Lady Eagles lead the nation in scoring by averaging 84.1 points per game, while holding opponents to only 68.6. The offensive show opens play on Monday against Pearl River Community College.
To say MCC has plenty of weapons is putting it mildly.
The Lady Eagles have an unheard-of four sophomores scoring in double figures. They are Catesha Riley, who averages 15.2 points per game and 3.6 rebounds, Angela Bullock (14.7, 13.2), Tommie Walden (14.3, 7.3) and Teasha McFarland (10.7, 2.4).
The Lady Eagles help maintain that +16 point differential with the aid of pulling down four rebounds per game. They also dish out about 15 assists per contest.
If MCC wins Monday, it will advance to play the Itawamba CC/ Northwest winner Wednesday at 1 p.m.
On the opposite side of the bracket is the East Central CC Lady Warriors. Sammy Pace's club is getting a bit of a reprieve based on their strong regular season performance. The Lady Warriors were upset by Hinds early in the South Tournament last week in Summit, but are back to try and make a run at the Region 23 crown.
To do so, they will have to send another area team home in the first round. The Lady Warriors face off against the Jones Junior College Lady Bobcats Tuesday at 6 p.m.
The Bobcats were the only team in the area to make it into the men's bracket. They play Delgado Monday at 3 p.m.
Richard Dark is a sports writer for The Meridian Star. E-mail him at rdark@themeridianstar.com.