Women's Basketball | 2/24/2015 1:48:00 PM

BLUEFIELD, Va. – Carrying a four-game win streak and playing arguably its best basketball of the season, the Bluefield College women's basketball team will look to carry that momentum into the 2015 Appalachian Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Tournament, beginning on Wednesday.
 
For the third-straight year, both the men's and women's tournaments will take place at the MeadowView Marriott Conference Resort & Convention Center in Kingsport, Tennessee.
 
Bluefield plays the final opening round women's game on Wednesday, taking on No. 11 seed Montreat at noon.
 
The Cavaliers have lost 12 straight and closed the year at 2-25 overall. Their sole conference win came against No. 10 seed Truett-McConnell, way back on Nov. 19. Bluefield claimed a 74-62 win at Montreat, before defeating Cavaliers 77-55 at the Dome more recently.
 
Despite the squad's record, Montreat features an athletic attack with four players averaging double-digit scoring for the season. Pearl Henriquez leads the Cavaliers' offensive charge, averaging 12.1 points per game. The guard recorded a career-high 36 points in the first meeting with Bluefield this season.
 
Gabrielle King (10.6), Monique Thompson (10.6), and Hannah Calloway (10.5) round out the team's double-digit scorers this season. Charnay Ryland leads Montreat with 5.9 rebounds per game. Thompson, who has played in 16 games with the Cavs, is close behind at 5.6 caroms per outing.
 
Should Bluefield make it 3-0 against Montreat this season, No. 3 Union awaits in the quarterfinal round. The teams split on the year, with each team picking up a win on their opponents' home court.
 
Union clipped BC 54-50 at the Dome Gymnasium, Jan. 7, before first year head coach Corey Mullins' squad upended then No. 23-ranked Union 78-76 in overtime, Feb. 14.
 
Bluefield has been led this season by Destiny Tolliver and Maryah Mazyck—each having made tremendous improvements from their previous years as role players. Last season Mazyck averaged 4.1 points and 3.3 rebounds per game, and has provided 11.3 (+7.2) points and 4.8 (+1.5) rebounds per outing this season.
 
Meanwhile, Tolliver registered set new career-bests time and time again this season, finally making 23 her highest point total (vs. Montreat) and 24 as her rebounding mark (at Columbia). Her tally of 300 rebounds this season is the most on record in a single season, dating back to the 2003-04 season. Last season Tolliver averaged 3.8 points and 4.7 rebounds a game. This year, the center leads BC in both scoring and rebounding at 12.7 (+8.9) and 11.1 (+6.4).
 
Fans wishing to keep up with play from the MeadowView Marriott Conference Resort & Convention Center will have several ways to follow along. All games will be streamed online through the AAC GameCentral for a nominal fee, either on a game-by-game basis ($7.99) or with a tournament package ($19.99 for women's tournament). Live stats will be available and updates will be made on the @BluefieldRams Twitter feed.