Titan Women Can Clinch Conference Basketball Title on Wednesday

That Eastern Florida's women's basketball team can clinch its second consecutive FCSAA Southern Conference championship on Wednesday at Broward College hasn't been a main topic of discussion.

Make no mistake the players and the coaching staff are well aware a third victory over Broward this season will wrap up the title but they have chosen to focus elsewhere.

"The mantra hasn't changed," said Eastern Florida head coach Jim Grimes whose team heads into the 5:30 tipoff in Davie with a 12-1 conference record and a 19-8 overall mark.

"Adhering to our principles and our process and our game plan are paramount. If we execute offensively and defensively the results will take care of themselves."

Broward is 11-2 in conference – its only losses to the Titans – and 19-6 overall. The two victories give the Titans the conference title tiebreaker should the teams finish with identical records.

Either way both teams have secured berths in the March 2-5 NJCAA Region 8/FCSAA Tournament at the College of Central Florida in Ocala.

But before the teams concern themselves with their final regular-season games that could decide the championship – the Titans host Indian River State at 2 p.m. Saturday for Sophomore Day and Broward visits Palm Beach State - and the state tournament, Wednesday looms large.

"Both our games against Broward went down to the wire," Grimes said of the 65-62 and 71-62 Titan victories. "And I expect Wednesday to be more of the same."

Broward has reeled off six straight victories since the 71-62 loss in Melbourne on Jan. 26. Eastern Florida has won five straight since losing 72-68 at Miami Dade College on Jan. 30.

The Titans have been productive offensively, scoring 81 or more points in four straight games including 110 against Miami Dade on Saturday.

"Obviously Saturday was our best offensive game of the season," Grimes said. "We came as close as we have all season to playing a complete 40-minute game which is the minimum standard we will need to meet on Wednesday."

Sophomores Nene Johnson and Paola Vasquez continue to set the pace averaging 14.3 and 14.2 points per game respectively. Sophomores Crystal Townsend and Emma Grimes are averaging 11.9 and 9.6 points per game respectively.

Johnson leads in assists at 5.8 per game while freshman Trudy Walker is the leading rebounder at 9.6 per game. Walker is averaging 9.5 points per game.

Vasquez leads in steals at 1.9 per game. She is ranked sixth nationally in three-pointers with 84. Grimes is 18^th nationally with 70 three-pointers.

As a team the Titans are fifth nationally averaging 9.1 three-pointers per game.

The Titans are ranked fourth in Florida while Broward is seventh.