Cain and Bryan College are headed back to the national tourney

Former Lady Cougar Sarah Cain and her Bryan College basketball team finished the weekend claiming their third straight Appalachian Athletic Conference Tournament Championship.     As a result, the Lady Lions are headed to the Tyson Events Center at Sioux City, Iowa, and the 28th Annual NAIA Division II Women’s Basketball National Championship.  Bryan opens play on Wednesday, March 6.

TOP PHOTO:  Bryan College’s Women’s Basketball Team after Saturday’s championship win.  Former Lady Cougar Sarah Cain is on the far right in the second row.

Pairings for the 32-team, single elimination tournament will be released HERE on Wednesday, February 27, 7 pm.  The national tourney runs from March 6 through March 12.

The 5-9 guard from Jacksboro played on successful Campbell County High School teams and her run continues for Bryan College at Dayton, Tennessee.  Cain exclaimed, “I am overflowing with joy and am so happy and blessed to be a part of this team and proud of everything we’ve accomplished.”  In Cain’s freshman season, BC was also in the national tournament though falling in the first round.  She adds, “I can’t wait for another trip to Nationals!”

This season’s version of Lady Lions is tight knit.  Cain said, “We wouldn’t have been able to do it without our relationship off the court. We’re like a huge group of best friends, a second family. I love every single one of them.”

Bryan carries a 31 & 1 record to the national stage with the best overall record of any NAIA Division I or II women’s basketball team.  The Lady Lions have won 30-straight games after a November 1 loss at Pulaski, Tennessee, to Martin Methodist.  BC was unbeaten on its home court, Summers Gym.

The 12^th ranked Lady Lions defeated Tennessee Wesleyan 75-71 at Kingsport at the MeadowView Marriott Conference Resort & Convention Center in Saturday afternoon’s AAC tournament championship game.  Cain, only a sophomore, averaged 7 points and three rebounds through the three tourney games.  She hit critical buckets in Saturday’s title contest finishing with seven points.  (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 02/25/2019-6AM)