MOUNT BERRY, Ga. - The Women's Basketball team has earned the right to host a first-round Southern Athletic Association Tournament game on February 23 at 2 PM ET against Sewanee.
In the two teams' first meeting this season, the Vikings dominated the Tigers by a final score of 76-32. That impressive effort was led by 18 points and 5 rebounds from senior guard Sylvia Kahoro, 14 points from senior guard Karlee Armstrong, and 12 points and 11 rebounds from junior forward Elly Callihan.
The second meeting between Berry and Sewanee ended in dramatic fashion, as the Tigers shocked the Vikings with a 55-54 upset. Hannah Cleveland led the way for Sewanee with 15 points and 8 rebounds.
Overall, this season, Berry has relied on senior combo guard Kenadie Lee to control the pace of their offense. She averages 11.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. Right behind her in scoring is Kahoro who averages 10.4 points and 2.6 rebounds while leading the team in three-pointers made with 31. The two guards' ability to create scoring opportunities for themselves and off the bounce is pivotal to the Vikings' success.
The two-guard duo is paired with an intimidating frontcourt that is spearheaded by junior Elly Callihan and breakout freshman Briaiah Lewis. Callihan averages 10 points and leads the Vikings in rebounding with 7 per game. Elly also leads Berry in steals with an SAA-best 59 and blocks with 20 on the year. Her versatility as a reliable three-point shooter and her ability to score in the paint poses a tough challenge to opponents. Lewis averages 8.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game while leading the Vikings in field goal percentage at 45.7%. Her presence in the mid-range and footwork in the post make her a unique asset to this Berry offense.
To round out the players to watch for the Vikings are Jayda Wood, Jeryn Jarrett, and Karlee Armstrong, who all impacted the game as two-way contributors. The trio has combined for 103 total steals on the season.
As a team, the Vikings lead the SAA in defensive efficiency, only giving up 53.4 points per game to opponents and only allowing opponents to shoot 34% from the field on the year. Berry's defensive pressure must continue to be second to none in tournament play, as they will face Sewanee guard Olivia Falvey, who averages 16 points per game. The Tigers will also rely on forward Cydney Wright, who adds 12 points per contest.
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The winner of the first-round matchup will move on to face the winner of Hendrix and Centre on February 28 at Millsaps College. Game time for the semifinal is set for 7 PM ET.
