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NEWS

PRAIRIE STATE COLLEGE PIONEERS
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ‘06-‘07

December 19, 2006
PRAIRIE STATE FALLS TO ILLINOIS VALLEY
In its final game before embarking on a 17-day holiday layoff, the Prairie State College women’s basketball team lost 107-44 to Illinois Valley Community College on Tuesday in Chicago Heights.

Freshman center Felicia Smith (Crete-Monee H.S.) led PSC with 23 points and also contributed a game-high 15 rebounds. Freshman guard Michelle Sephus (Richards H.S.) added six assists.

A three-pointer by sophomore guard Stephanie Hough (Calumet Baptist H.S.) gave the Pioneers an early 3-0 lead. Prairie State also went in front 5-4 before IVCC netted the next four points to go ahead for good.

PSC was still within striking distance with 8:43 to play in the first half as it trailed 22-17, but the guests ended the period on a 20-8 spurt to pull away 42-25.

The Eagles then opened the second half with seven consecutive points before adding runs of 17-0 and 10-0 later in the stanza to put the contest out of reach.

The Pioneers (0-8) resume play Jan. 6 at Kankakee Community College.
December 7, 2006
LEWIS AND SMITH REACH DOUBLE FIGURES IN REBOUNDS
Freshmen forwards Brittney Lewis (Bloom H.S.) and Felicia Smith (Crete-Monee H.S.) of the Prairie State College women’s basketball team tallied double-digit totals in rebounds against College of DuPage on Thursday in Chicago Heights. That, however, was one of the few highlights for PSC, which was handed an 86-26 setback.

Lewis had a game-high 17 boards, while Smith had 10 caroms. Smith nearly had a double-double, scoring a team-best nine points.

Defensively, freshman guard Michelle Sephus (Richards H.S.) recorded three steals to pace the Pioneers (0-7).

DuPage, which led the full 40 minutes, outscored Prairie State 47-16 in the first half and 39-10 in the second.
December 2, 2006
SMITH VOTED PLAYER OF THE WEEK; PSC DEFEATED BY ANCILLA
With 12 points and 10 rebounds against Ancilla College on Saturday, freshman forward Felicia Smith (Crete Monee H.S.) of the Prairie State College women’s basketball team was voted as the NJCAA Region IV District D Player of the Week for the seven-day period ending Dec. 3.

Although Smith had a strong showing with her double-double, Ancilla earned the victory in Chicago Heights, winning 70-28.

Freshman guard Penny Bensinger (Morton H.S., Ind.) nearly cracked double figures in scoring as she finished with nine points. She also had four steals, which fell one shy of equaling freshman guard Michelle Sephus’ (Richards H.S.) game-high five thefts.

The Chargers were in control of the game from the start, racing out to a 19-0 lead 5:20 into the contest. The guests were ahead 38-13 at the half before outscoring Prairie State (0-6) 32-15 in the final 20 minutes.
November 25-26, 2006
PRAIRIE STATE LOSES TWO AT BLACK HAWK EAST TOURNAMENT
Final exams aren't for another couple of weeks, but the Prairie State
College women's basketball team was given two difficult tests over the
weekend at the Black Hawk East College Tournament in Kewanee.

The Pioneers, who faced a pair of teams with a combined 12-1 record,
lost 113-41 to Carl Sandburg College in the opener Saturday before
falling to Black Hawk East 91-42 in Sunday's finale.

In the Carl Sandburg game, PSC received a season-best and game-high 26
points from freshman forward Felicia Smith (Crete-Monee H.S.). Smith
did most of her scoring from three-point range, where she connected on
six treys.

Smith also was a productive rebounder as she and freshman guard Brittney
Lewis (Bloom H.S.) topped the team charts with eight boards apiece.
Lewis also led Prairie State with three blocks and three steals.

Freshman Courtney Jordan (Rich Central H.S.) distributed six assists
from the point guard position.

Smith and Lewis also played well against Black Hawk East, with both
players recording double-doubles.

Smith had 15 and a game-best 16 rebounds, while Lewis chipped in 16
points and 11 boards.

In the NJCAA Division II national rankings, Smith is eighth in
rebounding (14.3 per game) and 27th in scoring ( 19.3 points per game).
Smith's scoring average is just 1.97 points-per-game shy of moving to
No. 13 in the standings.

November 21, 2006
PIONEERS DEFEATED AFTER 10-DAY LAYOFF
A 13-0 deficit to open the game set the tone for the Prairie State College women’s basketball team’s 108-26 loss to Highland Community College on Tuesday in Freeport.

The Cougars scored their initial 13 points in the first 2:53 of the game. Meanwhile, the Pioneers (0-3), who were playing in their first game in 10 days, tallied 13 markers in each half.

Highland’s (3-1) offense put up nearly identical numbers in the two stanzas, scoring 53 points in the first 20 minutes and 55 in the second.

Freshman guard Penny Bensinger (Morton H.S., Ind.) led PSC with nine points. Freshmen post players Brittney Lewis (Bloom H.S.) and Jomyla McKinnie (Homewood-Flossmoor H.S.) both had 10 rebounds.

November 11, 2006
SMITH HAS ANOTHER STRONG SHOWING FOR PRAIRIE STATE
As an encore for her 11-point, 13-rebound showing in her collegiate debut Tuesday, freshman center Felicia Smith (Crete-Monee H.S.) of the Prairie State College women’s basketball team scored 25 points and garnered 20 rebounds – both game-high figures - Saturday evening against Black Hawk College in Chicago Heights.

But Smith’s performance wasn’t nearly enough as the Pioneers lost 66-38. The setback dropped PSC to 0-2.

Freshman forward Brittney Lewis (Bloom H.S.) also was a factor in the post as she had 16 rebounds.

In all, the Pioneers had 60 rebounds compared to 44 for Black Hawk.

With the exception of a 2-2 tie, the Braves led the entire way.

Prairie State was down 9-8 with 14:00 left in the first half when the guests scored 18 of the next 20 points to go ahead 27-10 at the 3:10 mark.

A strong finish by the Pioneers to close out the opening period trimmed the difference to 32-18. That would be as close as PSC would get as it was outscored 34-20 in the final 20 minutes.
November 7, 2006
PSC LOSES SEASON OPENER; SMITH RECORDS DOUBLE-DOUBLE
In a promising start to her collegiate career, freshman forward Felicia Smith (Crete-Monee H.S.) of the Prairie State College women’s basketball team published a double-double, finishing with 11 points and a game-high 13 rebounds against South Suburban College in the season opener for both schools Tuesday evening in Chicago Heights.

Despite Smith’s efforts, the Pioneers were handed a 64-32 loss.

South Suburban was sparked by runs of 12-0 midway through the first half and 17-0 early in the second period.

The initial rally turned the Bulldogs’ 7-6 deficit into an 18-7 lead with 8:15 on the clock.  PSC, however, was still within striking distance at the end of the first half, trailing 21-13.

Prairie State opened the scoring 25 seconds into the second period to trim the difference to 21-15.  But that was as close as the Pioneers would get as the difference swelled to 38-15 just 2:43 later.

The margin would not get within 21 points the remainder of the game.
Freshman center Jomyla McKinnie (Homewood-Flossmoor H.S.) garnered 10 rebounds to help Prairie State secure a 53-43 advantage over the Bulldogs on the boards.

Along with Smith and McKinnie, PSC freshmen making their collegiate debut were guard La’Teasha Phillips (Rich East H.S.), forward Brittney Lewis (Bloom H.S.), guard Courtney Jordan (Rich Central H.S.), guard Michelle Sephus (Richards H.S.) and guard Penny Bensinger (Morton H.S., Ind.).