Mount Union looks to move on

Nationally ranked and top-seeded Mount Union (#6 in D3hoops.com and ESPN/USA TODAY Coaches polls) hosts fourth-seeded Capital in the semifinals of the 2012 Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament Thursday at 7:30 pm at the McPherson Academic and Athletic Complex in Alliance.

The OAC Tournament Champion receives bid to 64-team NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship.  The NCAA Tournament consists of 42 conference champions receiving automatic bids, three spots reserved for teams for independents and 19 national at-large bids.  The bracket will be announced Monday at 2:30 pm with an online webcast at NCAA.com 

A new tournament format this season gave Mount Union (24-1) a double-bye to the semifinals while Capital (18-8) recieved a bye to the second round and elminated fifth-seeded Baldwin-Wallace, 63-54, Tuesday night in Columbus.

The Purple Raiders enter the tournament on a 19-game win streak and a 21-game home court win streak that dates back to the 2009-10 season.

Junior point guard Rosa LaMattina (Westlake/Westlake) leads the team and is fifth in the conference in scoring at 15.3 points per game, while leading the OAC in steals (3.4 per game) and third in assists (3.9 per game).

Seniors in guard Kori Wiedt (North Olmsted/North Olmsted) and forward Amanda Rose (Green/Green) are the other double digit scorers for the Raiders.  Wiedt is sixth in the OAC in scoring at 14.0 points per game and is third in the nation in three-point shooting (.475) while Rose averages 11.1 points per game and leads the team in rebounds at 5.2 per game.

The trio have all eclipsed 1,000 career points this season marking the first time in school history that three active 1,000-point scorers have played together.  On the school's all-time list, Wiedt is sixth with 1,188 points, LaMattina is 10th with 1,090 points while Rose is 12th with 1,044 points.  They bring the total to 13 players in Mount Union history with over 1,000 points.

Mount Union leads the conference in scoring offense at 73.6 points per game and is the top defensive team allowing just 55.4 points per game. The Raiders help that defense with a full court press and leading the OAC in steals at 11.9 per game.

Capital has won four of its last five games and is led by senior forward Shalena Hawkins.

Hawkins leads the Crusaders in scoring at 14.2 points per game and rebounding at 7.3 rebounds per game.  Fellow senior in guard Hilary Kuhns averages 10.2 points per game.

Capital is in the middle of the OAC in scoring offense ranking fifth at 64.8 points per game while fourth in scoring defense at 59.2 points per game.