Carroll is back in the Regional Championship for the second year in a row after defeating Clinton Central in last week’s Sectional 54 Championship.
The Cougars take on the Golden Bears of Monroe Central, who won Sectional 56 with a dominant 49-11 win over Union City.
Monroe Central sits at 20-2 and has rattled off 11 straight victories. The only losses this year for the Golden Bears were to Eastern Hancock and Daleville, the two teams that finished above them in the Mid-Eastern Conference.
Carroll is 18-6, after a 1-5 stretch from mid-December to early January, the Cougars are 8-1 in their last nine games. Carroll finished second behind Rossville in the Hoosier Heartland Conference.
Here is a look at how the two teams match up:
Key Players:
Jillian Salts, Senior, Carroll – 14.0 points per game, 6.1 rebounds per game, 2.4 blocks per game, 24 three-pointers made.
Abe Ervin, Sophomore, Monroe Central – 15.6 points per game, 3.8 assists per game, 4.0 steals per game.
Eliza Rinehart, Junior, Carroll – 9.4 points per game, 8.0 rebounds per game, 2.1 steals per game.
Brynlee Patterson, Sophomore, Monroe Central – 14.3 points per game, 5.0 rebounds per game, 3.2 steals per game, 35 three-pointers made.
Coaching Matchup:
Brady Wiles, Carroll – Seventh season, 126-47, three Sectional Championships (’22, ’25, ’26)
Brock Morrison, Monroe Central – Seventh season, 101-58, two Sectional Championships (’25, ’26)
Key Stats
Carroll – Points per game – 55.4, Points allowed per game – 38.2, rebounds – 30.4, assists – 10.9, turnovers – 15.7, fouls -14.0, FG% – 39%, 3P% – 28% (115-413), FT% – 59% (264-444)
Monroe Central – Points per game – 53.3, Points allowed per game – 30.8, rebounds – 28.7, assists – 10.0, turnovers -12.6, FG% – 36%, 3P% – 26% (125-481), FT% – 60% (171-283)
Key Wins
Carroll – Dec. 4 vs Western 50-44, vs Sheridan 50-34
Monroe Central – Jan. 15 vs Tri 48-40, Jan. 24 vs Union County 44-39
Game Info
Carroll vs Monroe Central, 1 p.m. EST, Marion, Ind., Bill Green Arena – 750 W. 26th Street, Marion, IN 46953.
Listen on WILO 96.9, AM1570, and Boone 102.7, or listen on the WILO app or on ClintonCountyDailyNews.com. See all the ways to listen to ClintonCountyDailyNews.com.
Broadcast brought to you by:
Collisions Unlimited
Hufty Alignment
Singletree Washout