WIAA state girls basketball: 20 (or so) things you should know

ASHWAUBENON - The sixth WIAA state girls basketball tournament at the Resch Center tips off Thursday afternoon.

Here are 20 things you need to know — and 20 other things — about the state tournament field.

Division 1

ARROWHEAD

Important fact: The Warhawks have given up more than 53 points only three times, and lost only two games, both against fellow D1 state tournament semifinalists. They lost their season opener to Oak Creek 66-49 and a late-season game to Mukwonago 59-49.

Not-so-important fact: They have the tournament field’s highest enrollment at 2,175.

MUKWONAGO

Important fact: The Indians have two players who were conference player of the year in separate years in the strong Classic Eight. Junior forward Natalie Anderson was co-player of the year this season, while teammate, junior guard Grace Beyer, was player of the year last season.

Not-so-important fact: Sophomore Angie Cera plans to join older sister, Bre, the Indians’ all-time leading scorer, at UW-Milwaukee in two years. Bre Cera had a breakout performance as a high school freshman during the inaugural state tournament at the Resch Center in 2013.

OAK CREEK

Important fact: The Knights hold the Division 1 state tournament record for most points scored in a championship game with 73 in 2014, when they shot 68 percent as a team and made 81 percent of their free throws, also state records for D1.

Not-so-important fact: They have twins in 5-9 junior guards Katie and Maddie Gard, who also placed seventh — along with teammate Lea Finn — in the 400-meter relay at last year’s WIAA state track meet.

APPLETON NORTH

Important fact: The Lightning, the defending D1 champion that returns five of its top six players from last year’s state championship team, own the record for the most 3-pointers attempted in a D1 state tournament game with 27 — it made only three of them — in 2016 against Verona.

Not-so-important fact: It will travel the shortest distance at 23.8 miles to the Resch Center.

Division 2

BEAVER DAM

Important fact: The Golden Beavers return six of their top eight players — including University of Wisconsin recruit Tara Stauffacher — from last year’s state championship team. They have attempted the most 3-point shots among the tournament field with 656 — that’s 28.5 per game.

Not-so-important fact: They have the players listed as the shortest and tallest among the tournament teams with 5-foot-1 junior Lanie Roedl and 6-4 junior Aly Van Loo.

MONROE

Important fact: The Cheesemakers’ junior guard Sydney Hilliard has the most points this season among tournament teams with 533, and she’s averaging 22.2 points per game.

Not-so-important fact: Their coach, Sam Mathiason, is the father of senior forward Sydney and sophomore guard Grace. The father of sisters Emily and Megan Benzschawel is Eric Benzschawel, a former football player for the Wisconsin Badgers.

NEW BERLIN EISENHOWER

Important fact: The Lions’ 6-3 sophomore forward Erin Hedman is one of the top college recruits among state players in her class. She reportedly has scholarship offers from UW-Green Bay, Wisconsin, Iowa and Iowa State.

Not-so-important fact: Their fans surely will remember the 2013 state tournament, the first at the Resch Center, when senior guard Erin Ganzke’s game-winning 3-point play with 7 seconds left gave Eisenhower a one-point semifinal victory over previously unbeaten New London.

HORTONVILLE

Important fact: The Polar Bears’ senior guard Shay Frederick has the most 3-point attempts this season among tournament teams with 190, and the most made with 76.

Not-so-important fact: They are one of two teams (Wausau Newman is the other) to finish third in their conference standings.

Division 3

MARSHALL

Important fact: The Cardinals’ freshman guard Mia Morel has the most assists with 148 and the most steals with 111 this season among tournament teams.

Not-so-important fact: They hold the record for allowing the fewest points in a state tournament game with 17 in a 37-17 victory over West Salem in 1977.

AMHERST

Important fact: The Falcons have attempted the fewest 3-point shots this season among state tournament teams with 231, that’s 9.2 per game.

Not-so-important fact: All 21 of their victories were by nine points or more.

ST. THOMAS MORE

Important fact:: Since the start of 2018, the Cavaliers have allowed an opponent to score more than 50 points only twice.

Not-so-important fact: The Cavaliers, one of five teams making their first state tournament appearance, were an all-boys school until 1989.

WISCONSIN DELLS

Important fact: Since Jan. 2, the Chiefs have not allowed an opponent to score more than 48 points in a game, winning all 16 games.

Not-so-important fact: The Chiefs’ head coach, Bobby Buss, is the father of one of his assistant coaches, Colyn Buss. Father coached son when Colyn was in high school.

Division 4

LA CROSSE AQUINAS

Important fact: The Blugolds are the highest-scoring team in the state tournament field, averaging 75.7 points per game. They reached the century mark once this season, a 110-35 victory over La Crosse Logan.

Not-so-important fact: They are the only team among the D4 field not making its first state tournament appearance.

MELROSE-MINDORO

Important fact: The Mustangs might be the most balanced offensively of the state tournament teams as they’re the only school with five players averaging double-figure scoring. Junior forward Erika Simmons leads the way at 14.2.

Not-so-important fact: They have the player with the longest last name in junior guard Katie Christopherson.

MANITOWOC LUTHERAN

Important fact: The Lancers have the highest 3-point field goal percentage among state tournament teams at 41.2 percent. Their two most frequent bombers are junior guard Grace Melso, who has made 48 of 105 (45.7 percent) and senior guard Maddie Schleis, who has made 29 of 65 (44.6 percent).

Not-so-important fact: They lost two of their final three regular-season games, but bounced back with three straight close wins in the postseason before a 12-point sectional final victory.

CRANDON

Important fact: It’s a year of firsts for the Cardinals. In his first season, coach Keegan Kincaid led Crandon to its first-ever state tournament. The Cardinals are one of five teams making their first state tournament appearance.

Not-so-important fact: They do not have a senior on their tournament roster, which includes four sophomores and two freshmen.

Division 5

BLACK HAWK

Important fact: The Warriors are one of three undefeated teams in tournament field — the others are Aquinas and Melrose-Mindoro — and the team with the most wins at 27.

Not-so-important fact: They have the lowest enrollment among tournament teams at 107 students.

BANGOR

Important fact: The Cardinals have the player with the most rebounds among state tournament teams in senior forward Emma Wittmershaus, a UW-Milwaukee recruit, with 223, an average of 8.9 per game.

Not-so-important fact: Two of their three losses came against Aquinas and Melrose-Mindoro, two teams in the D4 state tournament field.

CLAYTON

Important fact: The Bears, who are the only state tournament team that wasn’t a No. 1 or No. 2 seed in their regional, are the best free throw shooting team in the tournament. They have made 271 of 359 for a 75.5 percentage.

Not-so-important fact: They will travel the farthest distance to the Resch Center, going 250 miles.

WAUSAU NEWMAN

Important fact: The Cardinals — making their 11th state tournament, most among this year’s field — have the player with the most blocked shots this year among tournament teams in sophomore forward Jadelyn Ganski with 76.

Not-so-important fact: They have the player with the most free throw attempts this season among tournament teams in senior forward Signe Fronek with 120.

WIAA STATE GIRLS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

THURSDAY

Division 3

1:35 p.m. – No. 1 Marshall vs. No. 4 Wisconsin Dells

3:15 p.m. – No. 2 Amherst vs. No. 3 St. Thomas More

Division 4

6:35 p.m. – No. 1 Aquinas vs. No. 4 Crandon

8:15 p.m. – No. 2 Melrose-Mindoro vs. No. 3 Manitowoc Lutheran

FRIDAY

Division 5

9:05 a.m. – No. 1 Black Hawk vs. No. 4 Newman Catholic

10:45 a.m. – No. 2 Bangor vs. No. 3 Clayton

Division 2

1:35 p.m. – No. 1 Beaver Dam vs. No. 4 Hortonville

3:15 p.m. – No. 2 Monroe vs. No. 3 New Berlin Eisenhower

Division 1

6:35 p.m. – No. 1 Arrowhead vs. No. 4 Appleton North

8:15 p.m. – No. 2 Mukwonago vs. No. 3 Oak Creek

SATURDAY

11:05 a.m. – Division 5 championship game

12:45 p.m. – Division 4 championship game

2:30 p.m. – Division 3 championship game

6:35 p.m. – Division 2 championship game

8:15 p.m. –  Division 1 championship game