It’s been 20 years since the Floyd Lady Broncos won an EPAC tournament championship.

Floyd coach Adam Terry is hoping his squad can challenge for one this week.

“We’ve got a good group of girls,” said Terry, whose squad brings an 8-2 record and the No. 2 seed into the 12-team tourney starting today in Melrose. “They’ve been looking forward to it for a long time.”

Texico (7-5) has won three of the last four EPAC titles, including the last two. The Lady Wolverines were seeded No. 1, with Elida (9-2) the No. 3 seed.

Texico (9-0) is also the defending boys champion and top seed, followed by Tatum (6-3), Floyd (8-0) and Dora (8-5).

The field has grown by two teams this year, with Hobbs-based King’s Gate on the boys side and Tatum and Clovis Christian in both divisions. The House and Grady boys, meantime, have been merged into one program this season.

Four boys and girls games are scheduled for today, with the top four seeds getting into action on Wednesday.

The tourney shifts to Eastern New Mexico University’s Greyhound Arena for the final two days.

Terry realizes Texico will be a handful for anyone in the tournament. The Lady Wolverines played three Class 5A schools in last week’s Plateau Holiday Classic at Clovis and finished fourth, going 1-2.

“They’ve got a lot of kids to choose from and they have an exceptional group of girls right now,” Terry said.

Led by 5-foot-9 junior Tori Tucker, who is averaging 20.3 points, the Lady Broncos received their highest seed in several years.

“Now we just have to live up to it,” Terry said.

Texico’s boys are off to a solid start, led by senior guard Seth Bailey, who is averaging around 18 points and set a school record with 39 in a win over Hagerman on Saturday.

Wolverines coach Richard Luscombe believes Tatum will make some noise in its first EPAC appearance in more than a decade.

“The last time I checked, Tatum was ranked No. 2 in (Class) 1A,” Luscombe said. “They’ve probably got one of the better guards in the state (in senior Logan Medlin), and some pretty good players to go with him.”

Luscombe said he didn’t expect to be unbeaten at this point.

“I thought if we could be about 7-2 or even 6-3, I still would’ve been pretty pleased,” he said. “I feel like our kids are playing pretty well right now.”

EPAC TOURNAMENT
Boys
Tuesday at Melrose H.S.
Game 1: No. 9 San Jon (4-6) vs. No. 8 Melrose (2-3), 3:30 p.m., new gym
Game 2: No. 12 King’s Gate (0-5) vs. No. 5 Fort Sumner (5-4), 6:30 p.m., new gym
Game 3: No. 11 Grady (0-11) vs. No. 6 Logan (4-5), 5 p.m., old gym
Game 4: No. 10 Clovis Christian (0-7) vs. No. 7 Elida (4-5), 8 p.m., old gym
Wednesday at Melrose H.S.
Championship quarterfinals
Game 7: Game 3 vs. No. 3 Floyd (8-0), 3:30 p.m., new gym
Game 6: Game 2 winner vs. No. 4 Dora (8-5), 5 p.m., old gym
Game 8: Game 4 winner vs. No. 2 Tatum (6-3), 6:30 p.m., new gym
Game 5: Game 1 winner vs. No. 1 Texico (9-0), 8 p.m., old gym
Thursday at Melrose H.S.
Consolation bracket
Game 9: Game 7 loser vs. Game 1 loser, 3:30 p.m., old gym
Game 12: Game 6 loser vs. Game 4 loser, 5 p.m., new gym
Game 10: Game 8 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 6:30 p.m., old gym
Game 11: Game 5 loser vs. Game 3 loser, 8 p.m., new gym
Friday
At ENMU, Portales
Consolation bracket
Game 15: Game 10 loser vs. Game 9 loser, 11:30 a.m.
Game 16: Game 12 loser vs. Game 11 loser, 2:30 p.m.
Championship semifinals
Game 13: Game 6 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 5:30 p.m.
Game 14: Game 8 winner vs. Game 7 winner, 8:30 p.m.
Saturday
At ENMU, Portales
Game 17: Game 10 winner vs. Game 9 winner, 11:30 a.m.
Game 18: Game 12 winner vs. Game 11 winner, 2:30 p.m.
Game 19: Game 14 loser vs. Game 13 loser (3rd place), 5:30 p.m.
Game 20: Game 14 winner vs. Game 13 winner (championship), 8:30 p.m.
Girls
Tuesday at Melrose H.S.
Game 1: No. 9 Tatum (5-4) vs. No. 8 Melrose (3-2), 3:30 p.m., old gym
Game 2: No. 12 House (0-7) vs. No. 5 Dora (8-3), 6:30 p.m., old gym
Game 3: No. 11 Clovis Christian (2-7) vs. No. 6 Grady (5-3), 5 p.m., new gym
Game 4: No. 10 San Jon (4-6) vs. No. 7 Logan (6-3), 8 p.m., new gym
Wednesday at Melrose H.S.
Championship bracket
Game 7: Game 3 winner vs. No. 3 Elida (9-2), 3:30 p.m., old gym
Game 6: Game 2 winner vs. No. 4 Fort Sumner (6-2), 5 p.m., new gym
Game 8: Game 4 winner vs. No. 2 Floyd (8-2), 6:30 p.m., old gym
Game 5: Game 1 winner vs. No. 1 Texico (7-5), 8 p.m., new gym
Thursday at Melrose H.S.
Consolation bracket
Game 9: Game 7 loser vs. Game 1 loser, 3:30 p.m., new gym
Game 12: Game 6 loser vs. Game 4 loser, 5 p.m., old gym
Game 10: Game 8 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 6:30 p.m., new gym
Game 11: Game 5 loser vs. Game 3 loser, 8 p.m., old gym
Friday at ENMU
Consolation bracket
Game 15: Game 10 loser vs. Game 9 loser, 10 a.m.
Game 16: Game 12 loser vs. Game 11 loser, 1 p.m.
Championship semifinals
Game 13: Game 6 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 4 p.m.
Game 14: Game 8 winner vs. Game 7 winner, 7 p.m.
Saturday at ENMU, Portales
Game 17: Game 10 winner vs. Game 9 winner, 10 a.m.
Game 18: Game 12 winner vs. Game 11 winner, 1 p.m.
Game 19: Game 14 loser vs. Game 13 loser (3rd place), 4 p.m.
Game 20: Game 14 winner vs. Game 13 winner (championship), 7 p.m.