Women's Basketball | 3/2/2016 11:37:00 PM

Full Game Notes

TULSA, Okla. – For the past three years St. Edward's Women's Basketball, under the direction of head coach J.J. Riehl, has qualified for the Heartland Conference Tournament. On Thursday the Hilltoppers open their fourth consecutive postseason appearance against Texas A&M-International at 5 p.m. in the Union Multipurpose Activities Center.
 
Coach Riehl and her team enter the tournament as the No.6 seed, and hope to capture their second NCAA Tournament berth with a tournament title. Below is a brief preview on the team with a link to full, in-depth notes on the Hilltoppers.
 
CONSISTENCY OF A SAINT: As head coach, J.J. Riehl has never missed a Heartland Conference Tournament...The only other team in the 2015-16 field to make four straight tourneys is St. Mary's...Over that span, Riehl is 2-2 with a Tournament title and postseason berth...the Rattlers also have one tournament title to their name, but two finals appearances...the Hilltoppers beat St. Mary's in the finals in 2013-14.
 
LEAD FROM THE BACK: In the history of the Heartland Conference Tournament, St. Edward's is the only team to make multiple appearances in the championship game as the No. 4 seed...the Hilltoppers first appearance in the finals as the last seeded team was in 2010-11...the second appearance was in 2013-14 and resulted in a tournament title and NCAA Tournament appearance...coach Riehl has also appeared in the finals as a No. 3 seed...this year's expanded field has St. Edward's as an underdog again, set to face the No. 3, and No. 2 seeds in order to reach the finals.
 
BRINGING DOWN A GIANT: In a pair of losses to the No. 1 team in the country, Lubbock Christian, the Hilltoppers scored more points than any other team in the Heartland, and outrebounded the Lady Chaps...In Lubbock on Jan. 23, Coach Riehl's team scored 62 on the regular-season champions...at home on Feb. 18, St. Edward's outrebounded the visitors 33-31, something only two other teams did this season.
 
ACROSS NCAA DIVISION II: Heading into the tournament, St. Edward's is ranked in the top-100 in two different categories...the Hilltoppers sit 53rd in fewest fouls, making it difficult for opponents to get to the free-throw line...the team also ranks 76th in the country in offensive rebounds per-game, thanks in large part to KHIANI CLARK's efforts on the glass.
 
CLASSROOM SUCCESS: In the fall St. Edward's Athletics named a school-record 178 student-athletes to the Heartland Conference Honor Rolls...A total of four women's basketball players were included in the list...out of the four, three were named to the President's Honor Roll which requires a grade-point average of 3.5 or better.
 
IT ONLY TAKES A FEW: After some early-season personnel changes, the Hilltoppers have found success in a nine-woman rotation...many schools use more than 10...prior to one return from injury, the Hilltoppers used as few as eight ladies to win their games.
 
POSTSEASON TOURNAMENT EXPERIENCE: While no active player has appeared in a NCAA or NAIA Tournament, the coaching staff is chalk full of experience...graduate assistant coach JAIMIE KADLECEK played on the 2013-14 tournament team...coach Riehl coached the 2013-14 team, and also played on the 1998-99 NAIA tournament team.
 
MINER MAKING MAJOR DIFFERENCE: Assistant coach Matt Miner was recently spotlighted by the Heartland Conference...the young assistant grew up the son of a basketball coach...he also played four years for the St. Edward's Men's team...prior to being named assistant coach, Miner served as coach Riehl's graduate assistant.