Sioux City, IA-Menlo Women's Basketball has officially arrived in Sioux City, Iowa for the NAIA National Tournament Final 16! The Oaks will take the court this Friday at 11:00 AM CT against the Campbellsville University Tigers. The Tigers represent the quadrants number one seed and will be a big test for the Oaks with a trip to the final eight on the line.

Oaks Road to Sioux City

Menlo's journey to Iowa started in Ashland, Oregon with the fifth seeded Oaks taking on the twelfth seeded Blue Raiders from Lindsey Wilson. Menlo jumped out to a quick lead thanks to an effective press that forced live ball turnovers that resulted in easy, transition buckets. For the game Menlo was led by the duo of Shay Boley and Jasmyne Huggins. Both seniors would score 17 points and pull down a combined 16 rebounds. Boley in particular was dominant in the second half of action 13 points and three assists to push the Oaks ahead for good.

For the second game Menlo matched up against the fourth seeded SOU Raiders who also happened to be hosting the game. Through three quarters Menlo fought to remain within striking distance. Despite a 23 point deficit late in the third quarter the team rallied in an all time great performance to win the game. The fourth quarter was a defensive and offensive clinic by the Oaks. Menlo held the Raiders to only four points while scoring 28 themselves. Kiara Brown led the team with a game high 10 rebounds to go along with 19 points and three assists. Jordyn Rosette was on fire from deep with a 4-7 shooting display on her way to scoring 21 points. 

Now Menlo squares off against the Tigers of Campbellsville. While highly ranked, the Oaks are no strangers to taking on some of the best programs in the NAIA. For this season Menlo holds wins over Vanguard and Southern Oregon, two programs that spent the year ranked among the NAIA Coaches Top 25. The Oaks also had five other wins this year against teams that qualified for the national tournament highlighting the fact that the Oaks are battle tested against some of the best in the nation!

Previewing the Tigers 

This Campbellsville team is undoubtedly one of the best in the nation. They finished the year ranked third in the NAIA Top 25 poll and come to Sioux City with a 30-1 record. The Tigers deploy a well rounded roster featuring four double digit scorers per game. Kaitlynn Wilks leads the way behind 13.5 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. Alongside Wilks, senior guard Maddy Boyle has chipped in 13.2 points a game and is also dangerous from deep with a 43.8 shooting percentage from deep. The duo would help the Tigers win the Mid-South Conference Tournament championship. Wilks would be named the conference player of the year with four other members of the team earning All-Conference recognition. It should be a great matchup featuring two of the top teams in the nation. While Campbellsville may be the higher seed, this Menlo squad has defied the odds all year long and has proved that with their blend of talent and belief the month of March is theirs for the taking!