It’s win or go home time for the WACO Warrior girls basketball team as they open up the Class 1A Region 7 tournament tonight by hosting the Burlington Notre Dame Nikes in a game you can hear on KCII.

The WACO girls will start regional action 14-8 overall and 10-6 in the Superconference North. Their last game resulted in a win Monday night against Van Buren County 44-38. Brenna Graber had 14 to lead the Warriors. This year, WACO scores 46 per game and gives up 43, shooting 33% from the field, 26% from three and 47% from the line, with 33 rebounds, nine assists and steals, two blocks and 16 turnovers a night. Graber is the individual leader with her 14 points, three steals and two assists per game.

The Nikes of Burlington Notre Dame are 5-16 this year, 4-10 in the Superconference South after a loss to Louisa-Muscatine in the Superconference Shootout last Thursday. Daisy Hazell paced the Nikes with nine points. This season, BND scores 34 a game and gives up 48, shooting 28% from the floor, 16% from the outside and 49% at the stripe, with 27 boards, seven assists, nine steals, two blocks and 23 giveaways per game. Three Nikes average at least seven points-per-game, including Hazell, Madalynn Knapp and Kaitlyn Kipp. Knapp pulls down the most rebounds on the team with seven per contest.

WACO Head Coach Lisa Graber spoke with KCII Sports earlier this week to discuss what her team needs to do in order to win and advance. “I think we’ll match up really really well, and I think that if we can control the tempo of the game, we’re keeping Brenna and Ella [Huisenga] involved, we’ll come out competitive. I think that if we do the little things, it’ll take care of itself,” Graber said.

In the Varsity Bound era, the Nikes have had a firm control on the series with WACO, leading 18-1 dating back to 2016 having taken the last 14 matchups. The winner of tonight’s game will advance to play Sigourney Tuesday night in a regional quarterfinal. 

You can hear all of the regional action live tonight between WACO and Burlington Notre Dame on all KCII signals and streams starting with pregame coverage at 6:30, and tipoff between the Warriors and Nikes at 7 from Bob Hilmer Court in Wayland.