Lady Huskies Get the 10th Seed, Meets the No. 7 Seed in the SoCal Regional Bracket Round 2

MONTEREY PARK, CA — The East Los Angeles College women’s basketball team received the No. 10 seed in the CCCAA Southern California Regional Bracket and plays Irvine Valley College in Round 2 on Friday at 7 p.m.

Both teams have been ranked in the Top-20 State Poll all season and each received a Round 1 bye.

The No. 18 state-ranked Lady Huskies finished the regular season 18-10 overall. No. 11 Irvine Valley, the No. 6 seed, enters the playoffs at 24-4.

On paper, the teams are dead even except for their records. ELAC, however, has played a much tougher schedule.

Against common opponents both teams went 5-2. ELAC averages 76.0 points per game, Irvine 76.3. ELAC averages 47.2 rebounds per game, Irvine 47.4. ELAC shoots 42.2 percent, Irvine 42.9.

ELAC sophomore forward Monica Garcia (Garfield High School) averages 18.3 points per game, 21st best in the state and Irvine sophomore forward Kasey Smit (Tesoro HS) averages 18.7, 20th best. Freshman forward Dominique Godbolt (Fairfax HS) averages 13.4 rebounds per game, fifth best in the state. Smit averages 13.1, sixth best.

Irvine Valley tied for the Orange Empire Conference title with Cypress College (21-7).

ELAC placed third in the toughest conference in the state, the South Coast Conference North Division. The SCC North is the only conference in Southern California to advance four teams to the postseason.

Mt. SAC (23-7), who lost to LA Trade Tech last Friday, is the No. 2 seed. Trade Tech (22-6), who won the SCC North title is the No. 4 seed. The Lady Techsters ended Mt. SAC’s 16-year SCC title streak. Pasadena City (17-13) placed fourth in the conference and is the No. 14 seed.

Two playoff wins and ELAC will return to the State Championship Bracket for the fourth straight year. Irvine returns to the playoffs for the second time in three years. ELAC won the last meeting between the two schools, a 75-62 win in the 2015 Regional Finals.

Irvine Valley College is located at 5500 Irvine Center Drive, Irvine, CA 92618.

Follow ELAC Athletics at http://athletics.elac.edu/landing/index or on Facebook at ELAC Huskies Athletics (@elachuskiesathletics). 

story submitted by Tadzio Garcia