East Peoria, IL - It's no secret, and rightfully so, but the Illinois Central College Women's Basketball program has always been proud to showcase its lengthy history and all of its success stories. Well, one case of both is the ICC Holiday Tournament. Taking place on Saturday, December 28th, Sunday, December 29th, and Monday, December 30th, Lorene Ramsey Gymnasium will once again host a highly-touted field of eight teams, with six that are either ranked or receiving votes in the latest NJCAA National Rankings.
PUBLICATION NOTE
The story in its entirety is somewhat lengthy, so if you'd rather skip ahead to a particular team's stanza, hit the link of that team below and you'll skip right to it!
#1 KIRKWOOD
#6 LAKE LAND
#12 PALM BEACH STATE
#16 NORTH CENTRAL MISSOURI
#17 ILLINOIS CENTRAL
(RV) SCHOOLCRAFT
McHENRY COUNTY
KANKAKEE
WHERE ARE THE GAMES?
All 12 games on Saturday, December 28th - Monday, December 30th are played at Illinois Central College's Lorene Ramsey Gymnasium, named after the former Head Women's Basketball Coach (1968-2003) and 16-time Hall-of-Famer.
The campus's physical address is 1 College Drive, East Peoria, IL 61635. However, most map applications should take you directly to the gym if you use "ICC CougarPlex". Always keep an eye out for on-campus signage if there's any doubt!
HOW TO WATCH
Can't make it to East Peoria to watch in person? Tune into ICC's Hudl-TV channel at THIS LINK to watch a free live video feed.
WHERE TO STAY AND EAT
Coming to the games? Awesome! Use THIS LINK to find places to stay or THIS LINK to find places to eat! You can always ask ICC personnel around the building and they would be happy to help make your experience at the ICC Holiday Tournament an enjoyable one!
TOURNAMENT BRACKET
The Bracket is POSTED HERE. Daily tournament recaps will feature the updated bracket, so there will be no need to keep returning to this exact link once the first day of competition is complete.
#1 KIRKWOOD EAGLES (11-0)
35th-year Head Coach Kim Muhl brings his Kirkwood Eagles to the ICC Holiday Tournament again in 2024. A mainstay in the tournament field, the Eagles are ranked as the nation's #1 team in Division-II and enter the tournament undefeated as well.
Kirkwood brings another high-scoring squad to Ramsey Gym, averaging 76.5 points per game. Jenna Twedt (12.9 ppg), Lizzy Puot (12.3 ppg), and Kaliyah Sain (10.3 ppg) lead that effort.
The Eagles also crash the boards at a clip of 36.7 rebounds per game, paced by Jariah Harris (7.2 rpg), Lizzy Puot (6.1 rpg), and Kaliyah Sain (4.4 rpg).
Averaging around 16 assists to 27 made baskets, the Eagles are led by Olivia Wren (2.6 apg), Jenna Twedt (2.4 apg), and Kaliyah Sain (2.4 apg) in that department.
Kirkwood averages 16.7 steals per game to their opponents' 6.2, with Kaliyah Sain (3.1 spg), Kennedy Blakely (2 spg), and Jenna Twedt (1.9 spg) swiping the most.
Among their 2024-25 schedule, the Eagles' lone ranked result is a narrow eight-point home win over #17 ICC on November 9th (66-58).
The Eagles, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, beat Bryant & Stratton (WI) in last year's Holiday Tournament 3rd Place Game. This year, they drew the Kankakee Cavaliers (2-9) in the first round on Saturday, December 28th at 2:00 PM.
(RV) SCHOOLCRAFT OCELOTS (8-1)
Familiar to the host Cougars, just not familiar to the Holiday Tournament, the Ocelots from Schoolcraft join the field in 2024. Hailing from Livonia, Michigan, the Ocelots bring in a team that just cracked the latest national poll as one of the teams receiving votes.
One of the highest-scoring teams in the field at 78.8 points per game, it's perhaps no surprise that coach Shay Lewis has three players leading her scoring efforts with 10+ points per game - Sharon Smith (14.9), Siena McNitt (11.5), Raegan Byrd (10.3).
The Ocelots are also one of the higher-rebounding teams among the field, bringing in 41.2 rebounds, led by Sharon Smith (6.7 rpg), Raegan Byrd (5.2 rpg), and Daija Brown (4.9 rpg).
Schoolcraft averages around 14 assists to 30 made baskets per game, led by Brooklyn Vickers (3.3 apg), Sharon Smith (2.9 apg), and Siena McNitt (2.1 apg).
The Ocelots feature one of the best players in the field when it comes to steals, with Brooklyn Vickers averaging 4.8 steals per game. Siena McNitt (4.6 spg) and Sharon Smith (2.7 spg) join the fray in that category.
Using the current national poll, Schoolcraft's lone ranked result is a close 66-62 loss at #25 Southwestern Michigan on November 13th.
The Ocelots will start their tournament with the #16-ranked Pirates of North Central Missouri on Saturday, December 28th at 4:00 PM.
#6 LAKE LAND LAKERS (6-2)
Beyond familiar with Ramsey Gym and starting to become familiar with the tournament, Dave Johnson brings his Region 24 member Lake Land Lakers to the court.
The Lakers have consistently prided themselves on a fast-paced distance-based but physical brand of ball, and the 2024-25 squad is no different. With 10 returners from last year's team, the style has effectively not changed. Sydney Richards (15.5 ppg), Charleece Davis (12.5 ppg), and Kaylee Niebrugge (11 ppg) lead the scoring charge for a Lake Land team that, as of publication, averages 66.1 points per game as a team.
The aforementioned Richards is the only player in the field that averages a double-double, as she also leads the Lakers at 11.3 rebounds per game. Charleece Davis (6 rpg) and Audri Spencer (4.8 rpg) also stand atop the rebounding leaderboard.
Averaging 13 assists to 25 made field goals, the Lakers have a strong core dishing out those assists, with Charleece Davis (5 apg), Audri Spencer (3.5 apg), and Sydney Richards (2.8 apg) leading the way.
A large portion of the Laker stealing efforts comes from Charleece Davis (2.3 spg) and Audri Spencer (1.3 spg), adding up to 3.6 of the 5.3 steals per game as a team.
The Lakers have a schedule that has featured three Top 25 teams so far, taking down #8 Mesa (57-51) on November 16th and #23 Jefferson (74-64) on November 10th. Their lone ranked defeat is by a 68-58 score to #3 CCBC Essex at a neutral site on November 15th.
Lake Land beat hosts ICC for the 2023 Tournament Championship, and this year drew #12 Palm Beach State (5-3) in the 2024 First Round on Saturday December 28th at 12:00 PM.
#17 ILLINOIS CENTRAL COUGARS (7-3)
Tournament hosts Illinois Central brings in a new-look team, with 12th-year head coach Karrie Redeker adding 10 newcomers that quickly returned to the national rankings soon after the season began. It's a squad that has already been battle tested, and that's before the start of the famously tough Region 24 schedule, as ICC will ultimately have around 10 games on its schedule against ranked or receiving votes competition.
ICC ranks among the best in the nation in numerous categories, including field goal percentage (2nd - 47.8%), three-point percentage (8th - 33.2%), and free throw percentage (7th - 71.7%).
This year's Cougars boast five players averaging nine or more points per game: Lily Luczkowiak (13.3), Addy Engel (13.1), Kaitlin White (12.8), Savannah Orgeron (9.5), and Kamryn Heider (9.0). Their 83.2 points per game makes them the highest-scoring team entering tournament play, a mark that also makes them the ninth-best offense in the Nation.
ICC looks to bring in rebounds by way of Lily Luczkowiak (5.8 rpg), Cora DeSutter (5.1 rpg), and Lauren Maas (4.1 rpg), with three other Cougars within 0.5 rebounds per game of Maas as well.
Perhaps the nation's fourth-best team at assists per game breeds no surprise as to the assists numbers that have accumulated thus far. Addi Swadinsky leads the tournament field at 5.3 assists per game, with Lauren Maas (3.1 apg) and Kaitlin White (2.4 apg) rounding out the top three.
Kaitlin White (2.2 spg), Addy Engel (1.8 spg), and Lily Luczkowiak (1.6 spg) take charge when it comes to steals for the Cougars.
ICC has competed against three ranked teams so far, including #25 Des Moines Area (won 69-61), #1 Kirkwood (lost 66-58), and #12 Pima (lost 90-77). The eight-point loss to the Eagles' is their lone game decided by single digits to this point of the season.
The Cougars were defeated by Region foe Lake Land in the Tournament Championship last year, and drew themselves with McHenry County (7-4) in the opening round of this year's tournament on Saturday, December 28th at 6:00 PM.
#16 NORTH CENTRAL MISSOURI PIRATES (7-3)
The "new kids on the block" to the ICC Holiday Tournament, the Pirates of North Central Missouri join the field in 2024. Coming eastward from Trenton, Missouri, coach Jenni Croy will have her team prepared, having faced a strength of schedule rated at #46, which is the third strongest among tourney participants.
The Pirates feature the tournament's highest-scoring player, with Jessica Reeter averaging 16.4 points per game. Jacie Morris (10.6 ppg) and Gladys Brown (10.2 ppg) make up a roster that totals 73.1 points per game as of publication.
North Central Missouri has one of the strongest rebounding teams in the field, with three players averaging five or more boards per game: Abbi Fountain (6.8 rpg), Jacie Morris (5.6 rpg), and Gladys Brown (5.2 rpg).
Look for the Pirates to execute on ball distribution as well, averaging roughly 16 assists to 25 made baskets, with Gladys Brown (4.4 apg) and Jessica Reeter (3.8 apg) handing out the most.
Three North Central Missouri players are all within 0.2 steals per game to lead that category, with Gladys Brown (2.4 spg), Oliviya Tinoco (2.3 spg), and Honor Mannings (2.2 spg) all neck-and-neck.
The Pirates have already played a tournament-best four ranked opponents, including two against #7 Highland (KS), falling by scores of 64-61 and 71-55. The Kansas connection continues with a 109-85 win over #20 Neosho County and 75-70 loss to #11 Allen County.
As mentioned, the Pirates are new to the tournament, and drew (RV) Schoolcraft (8-1) in the First Round on Saturday, December 28th at 4:00 PM.
McHENRY COUNTY SCOTS (7-4)
Another frequent guest of the ICC Holiday Tournament, the McHenry County Scots are back, this time with a new head coach - Kent Jones, who comes over from the prep level after stops at IHSA members Woodstock North, McHenry, and Marian Central.
The Scots will look to bring a lot of points to the tournament, as they enter tournament play averaging 77.6 points per game, behind the efforts of Zoie Lewis (15.3 ppg), Chloe Kmiec (13.5 ppg), Isabella Frohling (11 ppg), and Adriana Gerstung (10.8 ppg).
Isabella Frohling nearly averages a double-double, as she leads the Scots at 9.6 rebounds per game. Zoie Lewis (6.4 rpg) and Mikayla Saas (5.3 rpg) have all broken the threshold of five rebounds per game so far.
Zoie Lewis (3.9 apg), Keatyn Velasquez (3.4 apg), and Adriana Gerstung (3.1 apg) are all within an assist per game of each other.
As far as steals go, Zoie Lewis (4.6 spg) has a fair-sized lead, with Adriana Gerstung (2.6 spg) and Isabella Frohling (2.5 spg) not all that far behind.
Last year, the Scots fell in the 7th Place Game to Joliet (65-55). This year, the Scots have again drawn tournament hosts and 17th-ranked Illinois Central in the first round, taking place on Saturday, December 28th at 6:00 PM.
#12 PALM BEACH STATE PANTHERS (5-3)
Palm Beach, Florida to East Peoria, Illinois is not always on the vacation plans in late December, but coach Maureen Smith looks to bring a ranked Panther squad in that looks to at least heat up the gym with their shooting, and maybe even bring the weather with them.
Coach Smith has college basketball ties to the State of Illinois, having made stops as an assistant at Bradley, Southern Illinois, and D3 Elmhurst College.
Expect points to come from Taylor Blackshear (15.3 ppg), Mia Lewis (14.8 ppg), and Isabella Rivera (11.1 ppg), a trio all over 10 points per game thus far for the Panthers.
Palm Beach State has two primary rebounders, with Isabella Rivers (8.3 rpg) and Taylor Blackshear (6.3 rpg) leading the way.
A strong majority of their assists have come from Taylor Blackshear (4.3 apg) and Mia Lewis (3.6 apg).
The Panthers have one of the better stealing teams in the field, with Taylor Blackshear (3.9 spg) and Mia Lewis (2 spg) pacing that category.
Palm Beach State has a frankly grueling schedule. With only two NJCAA Division-II teams in Region 8, the Panthers are able to formulate their schedule with a bit more freedom than most, taking on teams like #2 Johnson County (lost 67-55). They will have hosted their own Holiday Classic just before coming to the tournament. The Palm Beach State Classic also features tournament members Lake Land and North Central Missouri.
In last year's tournament, the Panthers defeated the Black Hawk Braves in the Consolation Championship by an 89-59 final score. This year, they draw an all-ranked matchup in the first round, battling against #6 Lake Land on Saturday, December 28th at 12:00 PM.
KANKAKEE CAVALIERS (2-9)
It doesn't take long to look down the Cavaliers' roster to find all the various homecomings. Six different players of coach Casey Meister's hail from Peoria-area high schools.
A fairly frequent starting lineup has four players averaging at least 9.5 points per game, with Kayla Lacombe (10.6 ppg), Adriana Barber (10.3 ppg), Alana Ross (10.2 ppg), and Alyssa Ross (9.5 ppg) making up that group.
The Cavalier roster also features some of the best individual rebounding numbers in the field, with Ava Simpson (8.4 rpg), Malaysha Flanagan (6.3 rpg), and Kayla Lacombe (5.5 rpg) pacing the team.
Lacomb (4.4 apg) and Adriana Barber (3.1 apg) have the most assists on the Cavaliers to this point.
Alana Ross (2.5 spg), Kayla Lacombe (1.5 spg), and Malaysha Flanagan (1.5 spg) all lead in steals.
Kankakee has two ranked results as of publication, falling at the buzzer at #22 Oakton (77-76) and falling at home to #17 ICC 83-76.
The Cavaliers were not in the tournament last year. This year, they drew #1 Kirkwood in the first round, taking on the Eagles (11-0) on Saturday, December 28th at 2:00 PM.
