EARL WATT
• Leader & Times
While the Lady Redskins have dropped six games this season, they are still in close contention to host a Sub State tournament for two rounds.
Liberal is currently sitting fifth, and the top four teams will host two games.
By record, Liberal is tied with Wichita East, both at 12-6. But Wichita East has a slight lead on Liberal in point differential margin having a 4.61 margin to Liberal’s 4.33.
With two games remaining for each team, and both teams favored to win those games, the margin of victories in the final two games could easily decide who hosts a two-game Sub State tournament.
Wichita East will finish its season with rematches against Wichita South and Wichita Southeast.
East defeated South 58-41 at home earlier this year, and they knocked off Southeast 57-49.
By rule, the differential margin cuts off at 15, so if East wins by the same margins as before, they will end up with a margin of 5.3
The Lady Redskins will host Garden City and Dodge City.
In their first meeting, the Lady Redskins only defeated Garden City by three points. If they want any chance of hosting Sub State, the Lady Redskins will need to defeat Garden City and increase the margin of victory.
Dodge City has had a rough season and is only 1-15. Liberal defeated Dodge City 57-31 in their first meeting in Dodge, so it is likely the Lady Redskins will be able to maintain their 15-point advantage.
If East wins by the same margins as before and gets a 5.3 margin, the Lady Redskins will need to top their wins out at 15 points each game to reach a margin of 5.4.
That is possible, but it is also possible that East could beat Southeast by more than eight points in the rematch.
East will face the first test Friday night when they face 6-10 Wichita South.
Liberal will host Garden City Tuesday at the same time East will be playing Southeast.
By then, it will be apparent whether or not Liberal still has a chance to host two games for Sub State.
Either way, the second round match-up, should both teams win, would be Liberal and Wichita East for a trip to the State Tournament.
Both seem to be on a collision course, the only question remaining is whether or not that potential game would be played in Liberal or Wichita.
If nothing changes, Liberal is poised to play 4-14 Wichita Northwest in the first round, and East would play 3-14 Lawrence Free State.
All of that could change in the final eight days of the season.
Liberal’s primary focus is on hosting Garden City Tuesday. The Lady Buffaloes will be facing Liberal after playing Hays Friday, a team that has coasted to the Western Athletic Conference championship. With Hays sitting atop the WAC, Liberal and Garden City are right behind.
The Lady Redskins have a game lead over the Lady Buffaloes because the Lady Redskins won earlier this season.
But there will be more at stake for Liberal and Garden City than just a second-place finish in the WAC.
Garden City is currently eighth in the playoff standings and a win could help them move to seventh. Tuesday’s game with Liberal can determine the playoff fate for both teams.
