PITTSBURGH, PA - Tonight the women's basketball team took on their most important challenge of the season: the Penn State-Behrend Lions. The Redhawks are 12-2 in conference. Those losses came from Pitt-Greensburg, and the PSB. The team was able to beat UPG on the road (65-62), and now tonight they looked to do the same with the Lions. 

The Redhawks were able to come out victorious, tying them for first place Penn State-Behrend for AMCC Regular Season Champions. 

The gym atmosphere was tense,everyone on Coach Scott Lang Court knew what this meant: La Roche tying Behrend for first place in the AMCC Conference, or Behrend securing sole ownership of the title. 

At half things were strained. The score as the teams went into the locker rooms; 43 Redhawks, 40 Lions. 

A Behrend defense was doing an amazing job of forcing the Redhawks to shoot from the outside; keeping La Roche to only 20 points in the paint at half. In the first half La Roche shot 48.6 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from the three point arc. Foul trouble followed both teams. 

This game never once let up, and with three minutes remaining in the fourth and final period. There were two ties in the contest, and with three minutes left, one of them took place. The Redhawks offense were able to power through, led by Machia Hairston, who had a double double in tonight's contest with 15 points and 10 rebounds. 

Two other La Roche athletes were in double digits tonight: Makayla Abram was the leading scorer with 18 points, shooting 50 percent from the field. Nia Thomas followed shortly behind with 16 points, she shot 63.6 percent from field goal range, and 50 percent from the three point arc. 

Ayanna Mazyck had double digits in rebounds with 10 tonight. She also contributed eight points. 

AMCC RANKINGS UPDATE

You may be wondering what happens when two teams tie for a regular season conference title. For example: do the two teams share the title? Who is the no. 1 seed for playoffs? Here is the answer. 

There are four tie breaking criteria. In the case of La Roche and Penn-State Behrend, all of the first three tie breaking criteria, for lack of a better word, is even among the teams. That leaves us with the SOS (strength of schedule). It has been determined that La Roche has a SOS of .481, and BEH has a SOS of .467. This means, if both the Redhawks and the Lions win their games on Thursday, La Roche will win the AMCC Regular Season Championship, be declared the #1 seed, and host the championship tournament. 

If Behrend loses on Saturday, the same scenario as above would take place; La Roche would win, and host. 

IF LRU loses to Medaille on Saturday, Behrend would win AMCC Regular Season Championships, and would host the championship tournament. 

What all of this boils down to is, don't miss the women's basketball game this Saturday against Medaille, tipoff is at 2:00 PM.