BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Spring Hill College won its first-ever Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Women's Basketball Tournament game on Monday, Feb. 25, defeating Fort Valley State University, 67-62, in the tournament opener at Bill Harris Arena at Birmingham CrossPlex.

It is Spring Hill's first postseason appearance in its first full year of NCAA Division II membership.

Redshirt sophomore Katie Krout led the Badgers with 23 points on 11-of-20 shooting (55 percent) and a career-high 19 rebounds for her seventh double-double of the season.  Krout scored 17 points and grabbed 11 boards in the second half to help Spring Hill pull away from FVSU in the third quarter.

Spring Hill held a 17-10 lead at the end of the first quarter but the Wildcats cut into the lead, 27-25, entering halftime. SHC shot 57.7 percent from the floor in the second half, beginning with a 15-4 run to open the third quarter to lead by 13 points, 42-29.

Fort Valley used an 8-0 run to pull within five points, 44-39, early in the fourth quarter. While Spring Hill stretched the lead back to 10 points, the Badgers struggled to put the game away, hitting only 7-of-19 free throws in the final 2:10, as FVSU kept the game at a four-point margin most of the final minute.

Daja Walker followed Krout's lead with 13 points, nine rebounds, six assists and five steals. Tiffany Valentine had 11 points.

FVSU was led by Nola Carter's 19 points and 12 points from Alicia Franklin.

Spring Hill (12-15) will meet SIAC West Division champion Tuskegee University (19-6) in the SIAC Quarterfinals on Wednesday, Feb. 27 at 1 p.m. CT.


SIAC First Round Press Conference