Thunderbirds Win District Championship-Headed to National Tournament
History has been made, again, by the UTTC Women's Basketball Team.
The best crowd in Thunderbird Women's Basketball history was treated to a game that lived up to its hype. Hundreds turned out, from all around the region, to witness the NJCAA Division II District F Championship game. Winner would head to the National Tournament in Overland Park, Kansas.
For UTTC, much of the focus would be on all-everything freshman forward Terae Briggs, the outstanding talent from Pryor, MT. All season long, Briggs had provided exciting play and huge production, leading the Thunderbirds to its best season since the 2009-2010 campaign. On this day, on the biggest of stages, Briggs would not disappoint...but she would put a scare into the UTTC family. Despite her 25 points, 20 rebounds, and 3 blocks, it was another stat that almost proved to be the eraser of all three of those marks. With over two minutes still left in this back and forth game, Briggs notched her 5th foul, leaving the six-person roster with only five players to close the game out.
Enter fellow freshman McKayla Peltier (Belcourt, ND) as Briggs's replacement in the spotlight and all would be ok in Thunderbird Country.
Leading by two, with 15 seconds in regulation and trying to hold off the visiting Southeast team that could smell a victory, Peltier came off a comeback inbound play under the Thunderbirds own basket and came open for a long three-pointer in the corner. And the biggest shot in Thunderbird Women's Basketball history was in the books as the three-pointer that created the loudest noise the Thunderdome had ever heard and sealed the team's destiny and trip to the National Tournament.
Peltier's performances in the Region and District Championship games were a major reason the Thunderbirds will advance. After scorching Dakota College at Bottineau for 28 points in the Region title game, she followed up with a 19-point output in the District finale.
UTTC will now await their match-up and seeding for the National Tournament.
