Women's Basketball Earns #4 Seed in USCAA National Tournament

BUFFALO, NY - In the program's first season, the Bryant & Stratton Buffalo Bobcats are officially heading to the National Tournament.  The United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) announced the bids for women's division I on Tuesday as part of a nationwide selection show, which saw the Buffalo Bobcats earn the fourth seed in next week's tournament after posting an impressive 21-7 record during the regular season.

BSC Buffalo will make the trip to Uniontown, PA in hopes of winning three games in three days and claiming a National Championship.  In order to do so, they must start with game one, which will be against the fifth-seeded Clinton College Golden Bears from Rock Hill, South Carolina on Thursday, March 12th at 2:00 p.m. on the campus of Penn State Fayette (Furnace, PA).  The Golden Bears currently sit at 14-2 on the season and were actually ranked second in the final coaches poll.  

"This is a testament to how hard our ladies worked this season," Bobcats head coach Britnee Perry said. "We were battle tested this year and I think we came out better for it.  Every team in this tournament is good and we cannot take anything for granted.  As happy as we are, we are not satisfied yet and we are looking to getting on the floor next Thursday and giving Clinton everything we have."

The Bobcats enter the tournament winners of two straight and most recently picked up their third win in four tries this season over the number three seed in the division II bracket, Villa Maria College.  BSC Buffalo played an extremely challenging schedule this year which featured 17 road/neutral games.  They went 12-5 in those games.

BSC Buffalo has wins this season over NAIA opponents such as Fisher (twice), Point Park, Maine Fort Kent, University of the Virgin Islands and Wilberforce.  They also hold a victory over Buffalo State (NCAA III).  

BSC Buffalo is led by a trio of potential All-Americans who each add something different to the team.  Junior Shamecca Minor leads the team in scoring (18.5) and is shooting 36.3 percent from three, making nearly five per game.  Junior Janae Brannon is nearly averaging a triple-double and is the do-it-all point guard for the Bobcats.  They are 18-4 when she plays.  Rounding out the trio is Alissa Johnson who is averaging 15 points, two assists and two steals per game.  Sophomore Danyea Barclay has also been a major force for BSC Buffalo.  She is averaging a double-double, scoring 15 points and securing 11.3 rebounds per game.  She is shooting over 53 percent from the floor as well.

Securing the top seed in the field was the University of St. Thomas (Houston, TX) who posted a 20-5 record.  The second and third seeds went to Bluefield State and Bryant & Stratton Rochester.

The National Tournament kicks off on March 11th at the Seven Springs Mountain Resort where a championship and All-American banquet will be held before the Division II title games.  A skills competition will follow with games beginning on the 12th.  For all tournament information, please click HERE.