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Contributed by Chad Grubbs, HSU Director of Athletic Communications
ABILENE, Texas - Hardin-Simmons' women's basketball team will head to Tyler for the 2016 American Southwest Conference Tournament looking or a league-best seventh crown.
HSU goes into the tournament as the No. 3 seed out of the ASC West and the Cowgirls have a 10-15 record. It has been a trying season but the Cowgirls have the talent and ability to make the three-day run to hoist the trophy. They will open the tournament at noon on Thursday against LeTourneau (16-9).
Coach Melanie Chonko will be back with the team after having her second child Mya on Feb. 16. She is looking for her first ASC title as a head coach, but has titles as an assistant coach and player for the Cowgirls.
The Cowgirls have a balanced attack that is led by junior sharpshooter Kourtney Holyfield. She averages 15.5 points per game and leads the conference with 72 made 3-pointers on the season. Junior Kayla Brown averages a double-double with 11.4 points and 10.3 rebounds per contest.
Freshman Addison Garcia is coming off a career-best 23 points at UMHB on Saturday and averages 10.8 points and eight rebounds per contest. Danie Mabry and Jasmine McClellan share the point guard spot and they have combined to average 13.7 points and have a total of 145 assists between them. Madison Spears averages 9.9 points per game off the bench and Heidi Schroeder averages 7.8 points and 5.7 rebounds.
HSU lost 66-55 to LeTourneau the first time the two teams met. HSU led 53-51 with 2:53 to play before the YellowJackets scored 13 straight points.
The winner of the HSU-LeTourneau game will play the winner of the Howard Payne-Texas-Dallas game on Friday in the semifinals.
Al Pickett will have the internet call for the Cowgirls on www.hsuathletics.com and UT-Tyler will also be providing live video.
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