Lady Indians Carry MACCC Runner-Up Finish Into Region 23

FULTON, Miss. – Itawamba Community College women's basketball team is back in the postseason, and the Lady Indians will open NJCAA Region 23 play at home with a chance to keep March basketball rolling through Fulton.

ICC finished the regular season 21-7 overall and 12-2 in MACCC play, earning a runner-up finish in the conference race. The Lady Indians also received votes in the final NJCAA women's basketball poll of the season, a reflection of a team that stacked wins all winter and carried itself like a national factor.

Now the focus turns to Region 23, where ICC will host the winner between No. 7 seed LSU-Eunice (22-6) and No. 10 seed Co-Lin (14-11) at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 7. The path ahead includes a hosting scenario as well. If Pearl River (20-5) drops its opening-round game and ICC wins, the Lady Indians would host the women's regional tournament. If Pearl River wins its game, they would host the regional tournament.

The Lady Indians enter the postseason with a clear identity on both ends. ICC averaged 65.4 points per game while holding opponents to 52.0, a 13.4-point margin built on physical defense and consistent rebounding. The Lady Indians pulled down 38.2 rebounds per game and held opponents to 34.3% shooting overall for the season.

Tootie Lockett has been the tone-setter, leading ICC at 14.9 points per game while shooting 44.8% from the field. She added 5.2 rebounds per game and 2.9 assists per game, giving the Lady Indians a steady presence every night. I'Xana Winters has complemented that production from the perimeter, averaging 10.5 points per game while knocking down 33 3-pointers. Carlie Brock provided another dependable scoring option at 9.9 points per game and 2.5 assists per game, while Briyana Turner anchored the interior with 6.1 rebounds per game.

ICC's depth and effort show up across the box score. Starr Amos shot 50.4% from the floor and averaged 5.4 rebounds per game, Emarie Boddie added 5.3 rebounds per game and Madison Dabbs contributed on the glass as well at 2.9 rebounds per game.

Beyond the numbers, the postseason carries a bigger goal. The Lady Indians are aiming for back-to-back NJCAA National Tournament appearances, something the program last accomplished during the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons. Saturday's opener is the next step, with ICC ready to defend home court and push its season into the heart of March.