Lady Marauders meet rival Kentucky State in SIAC Semifinal

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -  With wins over Clark-Atlanta and Albany State, the Central State Lady Marauders have advanced to Friday's semifinal of the SIAC Tournament to meet rival Kentucky State.

Central State, the No. 3 seed in the SIAC West Division, have won five of their last six games, entering Friday with a 15-13 overall mark. Coming into the season with 13 new players on the roster, the Lady Marauders have finally seem to be on the same page over the last few weeks. Head Coach Sheba Harris was complimentary of her players while emphasizing the importance of playing until the final whistle.

"Everyone has contributed in our first two victories of the tournament. I thought we have done a good job of fighting from the beginning to the end of the game," said Harris. "We will need to continue to keep our attention to detail and focus on execution to be successful."

One key contributor to CSU's success in the tournament has been the play of junior guard Ghameerah McCullers. McCullers has led the team in scoring in each of the first two rounds while cutting down on her turnover margin.

"We are a different team than we were a few months ago," McCullers said. "We are playing together and the chemistry is as good as it had been all season. Our team is hungry and motivated to keep the season going."

CSU faces a KSU team with an impressive 23-3 overall mark. Kentucky State, the No.1 seed in the West, extended their winning streak to sixteen after a 86-53 win over Stillman in the quartefinal. In the all-time series between the two programs, CSU holds a 37-26 edge. The Thorobrettes have dominated in recent years, winning the last 6 contests.

"No matter where we play Kentucky State, it is always a rivalry game," Harris said. "We are going to continue to work hard and try to force turnovers and deflections while efficiently executing on offense. This will be our third time playing Kentucky State this season and I think we have what it takes to come out on top."

The teams are scheduled for a 5:30 pm cst (6:30 pm est) tip at the Bill Harris Arena in Birmingham, AL.

The SIAC will provide live coverage of the tournament semifinals and finals on the SIAC Sidearm Streaming Network. Fans who wish to watch the semifinals and finals are required to pay a fee of $9.95. For details on the SIAC's coverage, go to - http://thesiac.com/news/2016/3/4/MBBALL_0304161407.aspx?path=mbball . 

Livestats will also be available on -  http://sidearmstats.com/tuskegee/wbball/

For the official tournament bracket and details, please visit - http://thesiac.com/sports/2016/1/13/MBBALL_0113164800.aspx?

SCHEDULE NOTE: Tournament game start times may be delayed. Check our Twitter and Facebook pages for updates.

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