Preview: "Women's Basketball Starts Off MASCAC Tourney Run With Salem State"

ON THE WEB

You can follow this Tuesday's 7 PM MASCAC women's basketball quarterfinal meeting between third-seeded Worcester State and #6 Salem State via Video and Livestats.

THE SERIES

Since the 1969-70 season, Salem State has a 50-20 all-time lead, but the Lancers have taken seven out of the last ten meetings since 2010-11. This year the Blue and Gold dispatched the Vikings, 63-48, at Assumptions Laska Gym, but were defeated on the road, 54-51, in their last meeting.

In the postseason, Worcester State is 1-3 against Salem State with the last being a thrilling 64-62 victory in the 2009-10 conference tournament semifinals. 

The Lancers are 13-3 in playoff games as the home team and 10-10 as the third-seed in the tournament. If the Blue and Gold move on to the next round, they would secure their 19th spot in the MASCAC Tournament semifinals.

THE LANCERS

Senior Julie Frankian (Millbury, MA) and junior Bianca Langford (Worcester, MA/Holy Name)  lead the charge for Worcester State this season who has posted a 16-9 record and 7-5 mark in MASCAC play, tying for third place in the regular season. 

Frankian, who was instrumental in leading the Lancers to a home game in the first round of the MASCAC playoffs with D3hoops.com national honor roll accolades, averages 15.7 points per game, with 5.8 rebounds. Her .461 percentage from beyond the arc leads New England and is fifth in the NCAA Division III.

Langford averages 12.6 points, 12.3 boards and 3.0 blocks. She is among the nations leaders in blocks per game (11th) and average caroms (19th) while she has 15 double-doubles to her credit in 26 games, with seven coming against MASCAC opponents.

Senior Shannen El-Qasem (Rutland, MA) also averages 9.9 points and 6.6 caroms while freshman Nani Perez (Worcester, MA/Holy Name) is second in the conference with 4.6 helpers.

21st year head coach Karen Tessmer has guided the Blue and Gold to the MASCAC semifinals 15 times and to the title game three times, with their last coming in 2009-10.

THE VIKINGS

Salem State enters this evening's contest at 5-20 while going 3-9 against league opponents.

The player to watch out for on Tuesday will be senior Rachel Carter (Merrimack, NH) who has been a force for the club, averaging a MASCAC-best 19.4 points per game to go with 10.9 rebounds for the second-highest average in the conference.

Carter has also handed out 3.4 assists and registered 2.7 swipes in 25 contests.

Sophomore Melissa Saad (Worcester, MA/Holy Name) boasts 6.8 points per game and 5.4 caroms.

Since taking the reigns for Tim Shay, fourth-year head coach Michelle Cunningham has helped tutor the Vikings to the MASCAC Tournament in each of the last three years.

MASCAC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT - 25TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

The winner of Tuesday's contest moves to Thursday's semifinal round to play #2 Bridgewater State at 5:30 PM.

On the other side of the MASCAC Tournament bracket, top-seeded Westfield State takes on the winner of the other quarterfinal match-up between #4 Framingham and fifth-seeded Fitchburg State on Thursday at 5:30.

The winners of the two semifinal games do battle in the 25th MASCAC Tournament Championship game at the highest remaining seed.

Salem State has won 16 crowns since the 1989-00 season with their last coming in 2005-06. The Lancers are in search of their first, making an appearance in every single league tournament playoff in the last 25 years.