LA ROCHE WOMEN CLAIM TOP SEED, HOSTING RIGHTS FOR CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT

The Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Women's Basketball Championship Tournament tips off Tuesday evening with first round games, followed by the semifinals and championship game on Friday and Saturday, respectively. Tuesday's first round games will feature #6 Penn State Altoona at #3 D'Youville College, while #4 Pitt-Greensburg hosts #5 Penn State Behrend. La Roche University claimed the regular season title and hosting rights for the 2020 championship tournament. Both the Redhawks and #2 Hilbert College will receive first round byes.

Top-seeded La Roche (18-2) is looking to claim their first championship title since 2017, when they were crowned conference champs for the seventh straight year. Senior forward Jenna Cole leads the Redhawks this season with 14.7 points per game, while guard Ayanna Mazyck adds 13.8 points and 2.5 steals per game. Cole also ranks second in the conference from long range, as she carries a 38.5 three-point field goal percentage. Forward Dasja Anderson is tops on the team with 7.9 rebounds, while also being productive on offense with 11.9 points per game and a 52.1 field goal percentage. 

The Hilbert Hawks (16-4) are looking to three-peat this year, as they have claimed back-to-back conference titles in 2018 & 2019. Senior guard Emily Gawlak has had a standout season, as she leads the conference in scoring with 19.4 points per game, while also grabbing an AMCC-best 58 steals. Senior guard Taylor Corts has added 14.4 points per game and ranks third in the conference with an 83.5 free throw percentage. Freshman forward Macy Kisner ranks fifth in the conference with 9.0 rebounds per game.

Coming in at the #3 seed is D'Youville College (15-5). Sophomore guard Danielle Hore has led the Spartan charge all season, as she averages 13.7 points per game, while also leading the team with 8.6 rebounds per game. Midyear transfer, Sara Pfeiffer, has also stepped up big for D'Youville since the New Year. Pfeiffer has been a huge addition on offense for the Spartans, as she averages 19.4 points per game, while also adding 2.4 steals per game. 

Pitt-Greensburg (14-6) enters the tournament as the #4 seed, as the Bobcats are making their first appearance in the postseason tournament since 2016. Junior guard/forward Nadege Durand has been strong for the Bobcats all season, averaging just shy of a double-double. With her 15.0 points and 9.6 rebounds per game, she ranks in the top 5 in the conference in both categories. Sophomore forward Maddie Sitler is the only other Bobcat averaging double figures with 11.5 per game. Junior forward Shaquoia McCray's 9.8 rebounds per game ranks third in the AMCC, while her 108 boards on the offensive glass is tops in the league.

Earning the #5 seed is Penn State Behrend (13-7). Leading the Behrend offense is sophomore point guard Caitlin Carnuche who averages 13.9 points per game, while her 50 3-pointers ranks third in the conference.  Sophomore forward Alanna Dibble adds 13.6 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. Dibble's 59.3 field goal percentage is tops in the AMCC, while her 43 blocks is third. 

Rounding out the women's field is #6 Penn State Altoona (12-8). The Lady Lions have seen a big season from Alexis Cannistraci, as the junior guard/forward ranks second in the league in scoring with 17.1 points per game, sixth with 8.9 rebounds per game, and also adds 1.9 blocks per game. Junior guard Sydney Snyder averages 12.5 points per game, while senior guard Finnley Christine is right behind her with 12.0. 

The winner of the AMCC basketball championship tournament will receive the conference's automatic bid to the national tournament. 

AMCC Women's Tournament Bracket

First Round: Tuesday, February 25, 2020 - 7p
#6 Penn St. Altoona at #3 D'Youville
#5 Penn St. Behrend at #4 Pitt-Greensburg
Bye:  #1 La Roche & #2 Hilbert

Championship Round at #1 La Roche
Semifinals: Friday, February 28, 2020
6pm:  #1 La Roche v. winner of Pitt-Greensburg/Penn St. Behrend
8:30pm:  #2 Hilbert vs. winner of D'Youville/Penn St. Altoona

Finals: Saturday, February 29, 2020 - 4pm