Vanguard women’s basketball in NAIA field

The Vanguard University women’s basketball team will face Auburn Montgomery of Alabama in the first round of the 32-team NAIA Tournament on March 17 in Independence, Mo.

Coach Russ Davis’ Lions (24-6), ranked No. 6 in the final national poll, are making their 15th straight national tournament appearance, the 18th in Davis’ 20 seasons at the helm.

Vanguard finished third in the Golden State Athletic Conference, then lost to regular-season champion Westmont, ranked No. 2, in the GSAC Tournament title game Tuesday. The Lions are one of 17 at-large entries in the NAIA Tournament.

Auburn Montgomery, also making its 18th tournament appearance, lost in the Southern States Athletic Conference Tournament semifinals to eventual champion Loyola of Louisiana.

Auburn Montgomery is led by Southern States Athletic Conference Player of the Year Jatoria Carter, a 5-foot-2 senior guard averaging 20.8 points per game. Carter had 32 points in both conference tournament games.

The squad also features 5-11 senior Reggotta Craig, a first-team all-conference performer who averages 16.9 points and 9.3 rebounds per contest, as well as 5-6 junior guard Kaylan Withrow (12.2 ppg), who has 107 three-pointers and earned second-team all-conference laurels.

Vanguard is paced by All-GSAC seniors Melissa Norman and Samantha Doucette, as well as juniors Maya Kennedy and Claire Lamunu.

Norman, a 6-2 post, leads the nation with 12 rebounds per game and also tops NAIA Division I with 21 double-doubles. She is averaging 14 points per game.

Doucette, an All-American as a junior and a three-time All-GSAC honoree, is averaging 16.1 ppg.

Lamunu averaged a double-double coming off the bench in three GSAC Tournament games.

Should Vanguard defeat Auburn Montgomery, it would face either No. 11-ranked Wayland Baptist of Texas (25-4) more No. 23-ranked Pikeville of Kentucky (23-8) in the second round on March 18.

— Barry Faulkner