TIGERS TRAVEL TO INDIANAPOLIS TO TAKE ON MARIAN IN THE OPENING ROUND OF THE 2022 NAIA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP ON FRIDAY
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Olivet Nazarene University women's basketball team travels to the Marian PE Center to take on the Marian University Knights in the Opening Round of the 2022 NAIA Women's Basketball Championship.
Olivet Nazarene, currently sitting at 64th in the final Ratings Percentage Index (RPI), is making its 14th NAIA National Tournament appearance overall and seventh consecutive appearance under current head coach Lauren Glenn.
Olivet snuck into the tournament field after being awarded the final at-large bid by the selection committee. The Tigers finished fifth in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) and reached the semifinals of the CCAC Tournament.
Marian, ranked fourth nationally in the last NAIA Coaches' Poll and eighth in the final RPI, is making its ninth NAIA National Tournament appearance overall. They have earned a bid into the National Tournament in seven consecutive years claiming both of their program's national championships in back-to-back years in 2016 and 2017.
The Knights qualified by winning the Crossroads League regular season and reaching the finals of the Crossroads League Tournament, earning one of two allotted bids to the conference.
THE MATCHUP
The two teams will collide for the fifth time all-time with MU leading the series 4-0. The last time these two teams met was back in 2017 in the NAIA National Tournament when Marian defeated ONU 105-92 on route to their second national title.
This year's Tigers included two second team all-conference selections in Kennedy Johnson and Caroline Boehne. Senior guard Karina Smits was tabbed as honorable mention all-conference. Johnson is the team's leading scorer averaging 13.1 points per game. The Romulus, Mich. native dished out 182 assists on the year to lead all of NAIA eligible players. Boehne tallied nine double-doubles on the year averaging 12.5 points and grabbed an NAIA second-best 170 offensive boards. The Centralia, Ill. native broke the single-season rebound record with 293 boards. Smits ranked second in the NAIA in three-pointers made converting 103 on the season.
The 2021-22 Knights consist of three first team All-Crossroads League players including the conference player of the year, Imani Guy. The fifth-year senior and leading Marian scorer averaged 16.3 points per game and 8.1 rebounds shooting 57.4 percent from the floor, knocking down 78 percent of her free throws. Marian's roster includes the league's defensive player of the year, Kinnidy Garrard, and defensive team honoree Allison Bosse. The Indianapolis side was led by the Crossroads coach of the year Steve Brooks in his first season at the helm.
OPENING ROUND BRACKET SCHEDULE
Friday, March 11, 2022, at 4 p.m. CST* | Watch
[2] No. 4 Marian (Ind.) (27-4, 17-1 Crossroads) vs. [15] Olivet Nazarene (20-11, 16-6 CCAC)
Friday, March 11, 2022, at 6 p.m. CST* | Watch
[7] Rio Grande (Ohio) (31-2, 15-1 RSC) vs. [10] Columbia (Mo.) (26-6, 16-2 AMC)
Saturday, March 12, 2022, at 5 p.m. CST* | Watch
Winner of Game One vs. Winner of Game Two
*Games played at the Marian PE Center on the campus of Marian University
WHERE TO WATCH
All games of the NAIA Opening Round played at Marian University will be streamed on the ISC Sports Network. Each game will be pay per view, at a cost of $9.99 per game. Live stats will be available at both the official home for Olivet Nazarene University women's basketball stats onutigers.com and naiastats.com.
TICKETS
Tickets are on now for the NAIA Opening Round hosted at Marian University and can be purchased here. Tickets will cost $10 per session for general admission, and children ages 6 and under are free.
--ONU—
*Contact Patrick Kaindl, Sports Information Graduate Assistant; pkaindl@olivet.edu