Cleveland State’s “Elite Eight” are in the final four.
So are Chattanooga State’s all-freshman Lady Tigers.
And, most amazingly, Roane State’s seventh-seeded Lady Raiders, who from a 10-point halftime deficit won in a runaway, 70-53, against No. 2 seed Southwest Tennessee in the women’s quarterfinals Sunday of the TCCAA/NJCAA Region VII basketball tournament at Chattanooga State.
WOMEN’S SEASON AWARDS
› Player of the year: Sara Vujacic, Walters State› Freshman of the year: Janna Lewis, Motlow State› Coach of the year: Dave Kragel, Walters State› All-TCCAA first team: Shanice Nelson (Chattanooga); Abby Hubert, Ebony Kelley (Cleveland); De’Naizha Elder (Columbia); Kiante’ Butts, Eryn Foster (Dyersburg); Lewis (Motlow); Atitiana Vincent (Southwest); Oneisha Turner, Vujacic (Walters)› All-TCCAA second team: Areyann Majors (Columbia); Oreona Brown (Dyersburg); Hope Neyman (Jackson); Tajah Clark (Motlow); Amberlee Zeller (Roane); Quinlan Hughes, Orlandra Humphries (Southwest); Zoe Johnson, Aliyah Miller (Volunteer); Dejah Montgomery, Amber Thompson (Walters).
The other winner was top-seeded, nationally ranked perennial champion Walters State, which beat Motlow State 54-45 as TCCAA player of the year Sara Vujacic had 17 points and seven rebounds despite playing with a stress fracture in her foot. Also for the Lady Senators (26-5), who have one All-TCCAA standout sidelined with a knee injury, Oneisha Turner scored 12 points and Gazmyne Herndon contributed 10 rebounds, four assists and three steals with 10 points.