By Logan Jones
Sports Editor
For the first time since joining the Great American Conference back in 2012, the Northwestern women’s basketball team is going to the conference tournament.
“It’s awesome,” said freshman Katelyn Schieber. “Whenever you get to do something for the first time in school history, it means a lot.”
The Lady Rangers finished the 2018-19 regular season with a 12-17 overall record and a conference record of 9-13, good enough for the eighth seed in the GAC tournament.
After starting the season playing .500 basketball through their first ten games, the red and black seemed to run into a wall, losing eight of their next.
However, the ladies kicked it into high gear as they finished the season winning five of their remaining ten games.
The Lady Rangers are led by head coach, Tasha Diesselhorst, who is in her third year as head coach of the women’s squad.
In her previous two years at Northwestern, the Lady Rangers narrowly missed the conference tournament in 2017 and 2018, finishing in ninth place both times.
Led by redshirt-junior, Kalea King and freshman, Bailey Brown, the Lady Rangers not only exceeded expectations but broke records as well.
Brown broke the school record for rebounds with 26 in a game against Southeastern Oklahoma State. Similarly, King and Jade Jones recorded their 1,000 colligate points this season.
With the majority of the team comprised of mostly of freshman and sophomores, this relatively young Rangers team looks to turn some heads and surprise people during the tournament.
“I’m excited to see what we can do,” Schieber said. “Not only during the playoffs, but for the years ahead as well.”
After falling in their final two regular season games to Arkansas Tech and Harding, the Lady Ranges look to their first game in playoffs.
An tough match-up is set between the Lady Rangers and heated rivals Southwestern Oklahoma State University.
The Lady Bulldogs are 27-1 overall and a perfect 22-0 in GAC play.
The game is scheduled for March 7 in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Tip-off is set for 5:45 p.m.