Box Score TAYLORSVILLE, Utah (March 2, 2019) - All season long, the Salt Lake Community College women's basketball team has fought to redeem a disappointing first-round loss in the 2018 NJCAA Tournament. Thanks to a championship-level performance Saturday evening at USU Eastern, the Bruins now have that chance.

SLCC earned its third consecutive Region 18 championship Saturday in Price, downing in-state rival Snow College 64-55 to advance to the NJCAA National Tournament for the sixth consecutive season. The Bruins rode a consistent team-focused attack on their way to the championship, once again sweeping the Scenic West Athletic Conference and Region 18 titles.

Bruins coach Betsy Specketer said the game was won on team effort.

"For two nights in a row, our defensive effort was the difference," she said. "We created so many problems for them and kept them from getting into any offensive flow."

It was Snow College who took the early lead, powering to a 16-13 lead after the first quarter. SLCC responded with a strong second quarter, hitting 5-of-8 shots to take a 33-28 lead at halftime. In a second half that went back-and-forth, the Bruins were able to maintain their advantage thanks to balanced play.

The Bruins finished with three scorers in double-digits, with Laura Pichot leading the way with 18 points on 4-of-6 shooting from three-point range. Lauren Gustin upheld her season-long double-double average with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Miki'ala Maio, the Region 18 Player-of-the-Year, scored 13 points with a 11-of-12 performance from the free-throw line.

SLCC's physicality made the difference as the Bruins held a 22-of-33 edge at the free-throw line, compared to Snow's 10-of-15 mark. The Bruins also had 11 offensive rebounds to help their cause. 

With the victory in mind, SLCC was well-represented on the Region 18 All-Tournament Team, with Maio and Pichot both being featured on the team. Gustin was named as the tournament's Most Valuable Player, adding yet another impressive honor to her already star-studded SLCC career. 

With the attention pushing forward, Specketer said the program is excited for another championship berth.

"We're so excited to be going back to Lubbock," she said. "It's a great team win and I'm happy that we get to keep the team together for a little longer."

Salt Lake will now await its NJCAA tournament berth in the upcoming "Selection Show" that will happen on Monday, March 11. Until then, SLCC will await its opponent. The 2019 NJCAA National Tournament is scheduled to start on March 18 in Lubbock,  Texas.