It’s a free shot.[more]
Having secured a trip to the Class 7A State Tournament, the Bryant Lady Hornets travel to Cabot tonight with relatively little on the line and nothing much to lose. The Lady Panthers, co-leaders of the 7A/6A-Central Conference, are undoubtedly favored to win but they face a little more pressure as they contend for the league title and the top seed from the conference at State. They need to keep pace with North Little Rock, which hosts Little Rock Central tonight.
In their previous meeting, the Lady Panthers prevailed over the Lady Hornets, 52-37, when Bryant started out the game 1 for 21 from the field. University of Arkansas signee Melissa Wolff led Cabot with 16 points.
The Lady Hornets will be without starting post Taneasha Rhode, however, after she dislocated her ankle in their win over Conway on Tuesday.
In the boys game, the Hornets can clinch the first trip to the State tournament for the program since 2008 with a win over Cabot. A victory would also bolster the Hornets’ chances of earning a No. 3 seed.
Cabot, meanwhile, is fighting for its post-season life. The Panthers are currently on the outside looking in, just a point behind West Memphis for the sixth and final slot from the Central Conference to State.
The Panthers surprised the Hornets at the Hornets’ Nest in their previous conference meeting, 49-45. They snapped a four game losing streak on Tuesday with a 61-48 win over Little Rock Central.
Bryant has won four of its last five contests including Tuesday’s 54-41 victory over Conway.
It will, by the way, be the first time for the Bryant teams to play in the new Cabot arena, which will be the site of this year’s State tourney.
Here are the league standings:
7A/6A-CENTRAL CONFERENCE
2011-12 standings
Girls
Conf. Overall
No. Little Rock 10-1 22-3
Cabot 10-1 21-5
Russellville 8-3 17-7
Van Buren 6-5 18-7
BRYANT 6-5 14-11
Conway 3-8 11-12
LR Central 1-10 7-16
Mount St. Mary 0-11 6-17
Tuesday, Feb. 14
Bryant 75, Conway 60
Cabot 72, LR Central 59
North Little Rock 68, Mount St. Mary 40
Russellville 44, Van Buren 30
Friday, Feb. 17
Bryant at Cabot
Van Buren at Conway
Russellville at Mount St. Mary
LR Central at North Little Rock
Tuesday, Feb. 21
North Little Rock at Bryant
Cabot at Van Buren
Conway at Russellville
LR Central at Mount St. Mary
Friday, Feb. 24
Bryant at LR Central
Russellville at Cabot
Mount St. Mary at Conway
Van Buren at North Little Rock
END OF REGULAR SEASON
7A-Central
Ratings points
Girls
Cabot 142
North Little Rock 141
Little Rock Hall 116
BRYANT 75
West Memphis 71
Conway 34
Little Rock Central 11
Mount St. Mary 0
7A/6A-CENTRAL CONFERENCE
2011-12 standings
Boys
Conf. Overall
Russellville 10-1 19-5
No. Little Rock 8-3 17-6
BRYANT 6-5 14-9
Conway 5-6 15-9
LR Catholic 5-6 6-10
Cabot 4-7 13-7
Van Buren 3-8 10-14
LR Central 3-8 8-14
Tuesday, Feb. 14
Bryant 54, Conway 41
Cabot 61, LR Central 48
LR Catholic 64, North Little Rock 62, 3OT
Russellville 57, Van Buren 53, OT
Friday, Feb. 17
Bryant at Cabot
Van Buren at Conway
Russellville at LR Catholic
LR Central at North Little Rock
Tuesday, Feb. 21
North Little Rock at Bryant
Cabot at Van Buren
Conway at Russellville
LR Central at LR Catholic
Friday, Feb. 24
Bryant at LR Central
Russellville at Cabot
LR Catholic at Conway
Van Buren at North Little Rock
END OF REGULAR SEASON
7A-Central
Ratings points
Boys
Little Rock Hall 145
North Little Rock 119
BRYANT 81
Little Rock Catholic 72
Conway 69
West Memphis 56
Cabot 55
Little Rock Central 48
