Bowling Green making fourth-straight state appearance
Owensboro Catholic Lady Aces (25-9) vs. Bowling Green Lady Purples (24-10)
March 8, 2023 – 11:00 EST
By Perry Swack
Bowling Green and Owensboro Catholic will meet in the first game of the Mingua Beef Jerky Girls’ Basketball Sweet 16 Tournament on Wednesday morning at Rupp Arena in Lexington. Bowling Green enters the event having won its last six games, while the 3rd Region champions are winners of their last seven. Coach Calvin Head and the Lady Purples are making their fourth-straight appearance in the Sweet 16. Michael Robertson and the Lady Aces are making their first appearance in the state event since 2020.
Last Time Out
Owensboro Catholic beat Owensboro, 46-37, in the 3rd Region Championship
Bowling Green defeated Barren County, 59-37, in the 4th Region Championship
Last Meeting – February 11, 2023 – Kentucky Vintage Tees Classic
Bowling Green eked out a 55-54 win over Owensboro Catholic in the Kentucky Vintage Tees Classic at Breckinridge County less than a month ago. In the Lady Purples’ fourth and final game without star Meadow Tisdale, senior Tanaya Bailey scored 21 points to lead the team to victory. Junior JaSiyah Franklin went 5-for-5 from the field and scored 12 points. OCHS was led by Madeline Hayden’s 7-for-8 shooting performance in which she scored 16 points.
What to Watch For
As the saying goes, “defense wins championships”. Both of these teams are among the state leaders in points allowed per game. Bowling Green is only allowing 41.8 per game, while Owensboro Catholic is giving up 43.6 per contest. The biggest difference in the first game between these two programs and the rematch will be the addition of BG’s Tisdale to the lineup. The forward has been named the region player of the year by multiple media outlets and coaching bodies after averaging 13.3 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Her 64.1% clip from the field also ranks second statewide. In addition to Tisdale, the Lady Purples’ Bailey and senior Saniyah Shelton are imposing for opposing defenses. Shelton recorded a double-double in the win over the Lady Aces in February, before recording a rare quadruple-double three nights later.
OCHS junior Hailee Johnson leads the team in scoring at 12.9 points per game, while sophomore Karmin Riley checks in at 10.9 per contest. Riley has hit 71 three-pointers on the season and is shooting nearly 40% from beyond the arc. Senior Lauren Keelin has come on strong in the postseason, scoring in double figures in all three of the team’s region games. Another breakout player has been junior Jenna Krampe. Only averaging 3.8 points per game, Krampe led the way in the region championship with 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting.
Prediction
While the previous meeting came down to the wire, I do not expect the rematch to be as close. The return of Tisdale for Bowling Green will prove too much for the Lady Aces. If the trio of Tisdale, Bailey, and Shelton are held in check or find themselves in foul trouble, Coach Head can turn to Franklin or Katy Smiley. Smiley has hit 42 three-pointers on the season. I predict Bowling Green jumps out to a big lead in the first quarter and is able to advance to the quarterfinals for the third-straight season.
Bowling Green 59, Owensboro Catholic 47
Stat to Know – 3-0
Bowling Green is 3-0 in previous meetings with Owensboro Catholic. The Lady Purples defeated the Lady Aces twice in 2019 in addition to their win in February.
