Cotton Blossoms Set for Top-Seeded Suns in GAC Tournament

Courtesy University of Arkansas at Monticello Athletics Department

BARTLESVILLE, Okla. – The University of Arkansas at Monticello women’s basketball team is set to face off against Arkansas Tech for a third time season, this time in the opening round of the 2013 Great American Conference Championship Tournament this Thursday, March 7 at 6 p.m. inside Bartlesville, Okla.’s Bruin Fieldhouse. 

The Cotton Blossoms (6-20, 3-17 GAC) enter the event as the league’s No. 8 seed, pitting them against top-seeded Arkansas Tech. The Golden Suns are GAC regular season champions for a second consecutive year. The Golden Suns defeated UAM twice during the regular season – a 70-63 win in Monticello on January 17 and a 73-53 victory in Russellville on February 21.

UAM enters the tournament ranked ninth in the GAC in scoring offense at an average of 62.3 points per game and seventh in scoring defense at 67.8 points allowed per game. ATU ranks third in the league in scoring offense at 73 points per game and second in scoring defense at 62.3 points per game.

Individually, freshman Jordan Goforth leads the Cotton Blossoms and ranks 15th in the league with an average of 12.4 points per game. The Plano, Texas native also leads the team in minutes played, three-pointers and free throws. Sophomore Catherine Puckett is UAM’s next highest scorer at an average of 8.7 points per outing. 

The Golden Suns are led a pair of double-digit scorers. Jessica Weatherford leads the squad and ranks fourth in the league at an average of 15.6 points per game. She is also ATU’s top rebounder, ranking eighth in the league with 7.4 boards per contest. ATU’s Roselis Silva also joins Weatherford in the double-digit scoring category with an average of 14.9 points per game. Silva is tops in the league in assists (4.9 per game) and steals (5.3 per game).

The winner of Thursday’s opening round contest advances to the semi-finals against either No. 4 seed East Central or No. 5 seed Ouachita Baptist on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. The finals are scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m. All games will be played at the Bruin Fieldhouse on the campus of Bartlesville High School. For ticket information, visit the tournament home page at the following link: http://greatamericanconference.com/sports/2013/2/9/BKB_0209131113.aspx. 

All games of the 2013 GAC Men’s and Women’s Championship Tournaments will be streamed live via the Great American Conference Sports Network. All of UAM’s games will also be carried on the radio along the UAM Sports Network at KHBM-FM 93.7 in Monticello and online at uamsports.com. Links to live video, live audio and live stats are available at uamsports.com.

Game notes will be published at uamsports.com following the announcement of the 2012-13 All-GAC teams, which will occur at the welcome banquet Wednesday evening in downtown Bartlesville.

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