|
| Dasia Thornton and defending national champions Transylvania took their winning streak to 60 consecutive games with another overpowering performance. File photo by Transylvania University athletics |
New York University, Transylvania, Rhode Island College, and Webster completed perfect runs to the NCAA Tournament, while Widener and Trine busted someone's bubble by winning their conference tournament title games.
- Who’s in the NCAA Tournament: Men | Women
- Friday: Brooklyn, NJCU and UW-Stout grab bids
- Final public regional rankings: Men | Women
- More men’s headlines
- More women’s headlines
No. 2 Transylvania had a typically dominant performance in the HCAC Tournament title game, as the Pioneers plowed through Mount St. Joseph, 74-46, for its 60th consecutive victory. Transylvania broke the game open midway through the first quarter with an 18-2 run that staked the Pioneers to a 29-13 lead. Kennedi Stacy poured in 32 points in 28 minutes and HCAC Player of the Year Dasia Thornton added a double-double (14 points, 13 rebounds) in 25 minutes.
Transy now has the fifth longest winning streak in Division III women's basketball history, and the Pioneers can pass Hope and Thomas More for third place all-time with two wins next weekend.
Mass-Dartmouth hung with No. 3 Rhode Island College for most of the first half of the Little East Conference tournament championship game, but the Anchorwomen opened the second half with an 11-2 run and cruised to a 67-52 title-clinching victory. Izabelle Booth nailed a three-pointer midway through third period that put RIC in front 51-30 and the Corsairs were unable to get back within single-digits the rest of the way.
The Anchorwomen committed 23 turnovers, but they outrebounded Mass-Dartmouth 51-27 and outscored the Corsairs in the paint, 32-12.
No. 24 Webster shook off a slow start and finished off Westminster (Mo.), 71-56, for its 27th straight win and the SLIAC crown. After falling behind 30-11 early in the second quarter, the Gorloks finished the period on a 20-8 run capped by Julie Baudendistel's jumper and trailed 38-31 at the break. The Blue Jays momentarily took their lead back to nine at 42-33 early in the third quarter but Webster scored the next 13 points and went in front, 46-42. The Gorloks put the game away in the final period when they held Westminster to eight points and shot 62 percent, including 3-for-3 from three.
Baudendistel paced the Gorloks with 23 points and Kate Rolfes scored 20 points on 8-for-14 shooting with four 3-pointers.
No. 1 New York University also finished a perfect regular season, as the Violets defeated Brandeis, 81-54. All-American Morgan Morrison did not play for NYU, but the Violets got double-figure scoring from four starters, including 20 points from Belle Pellecchia. The Violets had already clinched the automatic bid in the UAA, which does not have a conference tournament.
Widener punched its ticket to the NCAA Tournament and busted someone’s bubble by beating Messiah, 68-62, in the MAC Commonwealth title game.
The Pride took a 62-60 lead on Jordan D’Ambrosio’s layup and then extended it to four points when a loose ball rolled free to Lia Samuels for a wide-open layup. Messiah pulled within two and Widener missed three of four free throws on its next possession, giving Messiah a chance to tie the game. But the Falcons missed a three and Widener finished off the win.
Widener got 62 combined points from four players, including 23 from Mia Robbins who shot 10 for 12. Reese Harden scored 19 points for Messiah before fouling out late.
Trine ended someone's NCAA Tournament hopes by upsetting No. 9 Hope, 63-59, in the MIAA Tournament championship. Allison Capouch gave the Thunder a 57-50 lead with a three-pointer, and Trine's defense did the rest, holding the Flying Dutch to two field goals over the six-and-a-half minutes. Hope cut the Thunder's lead to 62-59 with seven seconds left, but All-American Sidney Wagner split a pair of free throws and took Trine's lead to its final four-point margin.
Wagner finished with 14 points and seven rebounds for Trine, which is unranked but started the season ranked No. 17.
Ohio Northern finished an up-and-down regular season at the highest point possible when the Polar Bears defeated Marietta, 63-55, for the OAC’s automatic bid.
The Polar Bears pulled away from the Pioneers in the fourth quarter when Kristen Luersman finished a three-point play that put ONU in front 59-52. Sophia Murray kept Marietta’s hopes alive with a three-pointer in the final minute, but the Polar Bears iced the win at the free throw line.
All-American Brynn Serbin tallied 22 points and seven rebounds for Ohio Northern, which was ranked No. 10 to start the season, finished OAC play in fourth, and then won the conference tournament with road wins at Baldwin Wallace and Marietta. Both of those teams will have a chance at an at-large bid when the Field of 64 is announced on Monday afternoon.
Recap continues below
Close but it counts for Wartburg, DePauw, CNU
| DePauw celebrates another conference title after holding off Ohio Wesleyan in the NCAC tournament finale. Photo by DePauw University athletics |
No. 15 Wartburg got clutch plays late from its senior leaders and edged No. 22 Loras, 57-51, for its seventh ARC conference title.
Trailing 48-47 in the closing minutes, Wartburg's Macy Harris grabbed an offensive rebound and found Britney Young for a go-ahead three pointer. Loras missed two shots on its ensuing possesion and the Knights upped their lead to 52-48 on Sara Faber's layup with 26 seconds left. Faber added two free throws on Warburg's next possession, putting the game out of reach. Wartburg claims the automatic bid while Loras sits on the bubble at 23-4.
DePauw prevailed over Ohio Wesleyan, 56-53, in the NCAC tournament championship game after a tense, low-scoring fourth quarter. The Tigers took a 51-45 lead over Ohio Wesleyan on Ainsley Boras' layup with 8:16 to play in the fourth quarter, and then neither team did much scoring the rest of the way. DePauw managed just one made field goal but got enough free throws to hold off the Battling Bishops, despite Kasey Schipfer scoring all eight of OWU's fourth-quarter points.
Mary Washington pushed No. 4 Christopher Newport, but the Captain held off the Eagles, 71-67, and seized the Coast-to-Coast Conference's automatic bid. Mary Washington trailed Christopher Newport by one until Gabbi San Diego completed a three-point play and Katy Rader added two free throws, taking CNU's lead up to six. The Captains made their last five free throws and finished with 25 points at the free throw line.
Puget Sound built a 10-point fourth-quarter lead over Pacific and then held off the Boxers for the NWC title, 61-57. Paige Gerhart's layup gave the Loggers a 48-48 lead and, after Pacific got two free throws, Gerhart returned the lead to 10 with a made jumper. Pacific got as close as two points on Sydney Gray's layup with 43 seconds remaining, but Kate Minnehan responded with a jumper and two free throws for Puget Sound.
Gerhart scored 20 points for Puget Sound, which joins Ohio Northern as the lowest seeded team (No. 4) to win a conference tournament so far.
Easy does it: GAC, Scranton roll into Tournament
No. 5 Gustavus Adolphus and Concordia-Moorhead split their first two games of the season, but the rubber match was no contest The Gusties blasted Concordia-Moorhead, 66-38, and put the Cobbers on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament. The Gusties shot 53 percent (28 for 53) and held Concordia-Moorhead to 12 field goals against 19 turnovers. Emma Kniefel had 15 points and six assists for Gustavus Adolphus, which set a new MIAC tournament record for margin of victory.
No. 7 Scranton held No. 10 Catholic to six first-quarter points and the Lady Royals won the rubber match with their Landmark Conference rival, 57-48. Scranton led 47-29 after three peridos before the Cardinals cut their margin of defeat in the fourth quarter. Maddie Hartnett netted 20 points for Scranton, which has won eight consecutive Landmark Conference titles.
Hardin-Simmons swept its rival Mary Hardin-Baylor and secured the ASC Tournament title at home, 84-74. The Cowgirls led the entire game as Samantha Tatum and Paris Parmer combined for 49 points, seven 3-pointers and 14 free throws in 16 attempts. Arieona Rosborough led the Crusaders, which will likely get an at-large bid, with 18 points and nine rebounds.
No. 19 Carroll had better luck in its third bid to beat No. 12 Illinois Wesleyan, as the Pioneers toppled the Titans, 88-78, for their first trip to the NCAA Tournament as a CCIW member. After losing the first two games of the season to Illinois Wesleyan, Carroll controlled this game from start to finish, leading for all but the first minute. The Pioneers outscored the Titans 54-24 in the paint, thanks to Natalie Gricius' 31 points. Olivia Rangel racked up 24 points and 12 rebounds for Carroll which set a new program record with its 23rd win of the season.
Recap continues below
Top seeds stay on top in Mid-Atlantic, New York
| St. John Fisher made it a three-peat in the Empire 8 by beating Houghton for its third consecutive Empire 8 title. Photo by Hanife Gundogdu, @haniflicks |
The Mid Atlantic and Upstate New York produced familiar AQ winners in Saturday afternoon’s conference championship games.
St. John Fisher weathered a fast start from Houghton, and then claimed the high ground, defeating the Highlanders, 66-55, for the Empire 8 title.
Houghton jumped out to a 20-8 lead after Kayla Camacho scored for the Highlanders late in the first quarter. The Cardinals regrouped and finished that period on an 8-0 run, then St. John Fisher added a 9-1 run and took a 37-29 lead on Madeline Ramsgard’s three-point play late in the second period.
Four Cardinals reached double figures, led by Sidney Tomasso who had 21 points and six rebounds in 40 minutes. Claire Kruszka finished two boards short of a double-double (12 points, 8 rebounds).
No. 18 DeSales shut down Arcadia, and the Bulldogs won another MAC Freedom title, 73-45. DeSales held the Knights to 3-for-20 shooting in the first half and led 30-13 at the break. Michaela Reese racked up 19 points, seven rebounds, and seven blocks for DeSales who ran the table in the conference.
Marymount outscored Neumann 22-12 in the final quarter and pulled away from the Knights, 66-48, in the Atlantic East Conference championship game. Symantha Shackleford paced the Saints with 21 points and Chandler Eddleton added a double-double (17 points, 15 rebounds).
After two exciting finishes in the SUNYAC semifinals on Friday night, Saturday's title game between SUNY New Paltz and SUNY Geneseo produced a little less drama and a lot less offense. The Hawks jumped out to a 21-7 lead after one period but only scored 32 points the rest of the way. The Knights fought back within four on Kiley Snow's three-pointer with 23 seconds remaining, but Julia Sabatino made three free throws to seal SUNY New Paltz's win, 52-47. Brianna Fitzgerald tallied 14 points and 10 rebounds for SUNY New Paltz and the Hawks had a 20-0 advantage in fast break points.
Southern Virginia overpowered NC Wesleyan, 69-41, and won its second USA South Athletic Conference title in three seasons. The Knights led wire-to-wire, outscored the Battling Bishops 42-16 in the paint and had a 16-2 advantage in assists. Addison Newman led the way with 24 points on 11 for 18 shooting for Southern Virginia.
Chatham had a similarly easy time in the Presidents' Athletic Conference title game where the Cougars ended Geneva's Cinderella run, 77-55. The Golden Tornadoes' attempt to win the PAC tournament as the five-seed ended early, as Chatham opened the game on a 19-3 run. Alyssa Laukus racked up 13 points, seven rebounds, six blocks and five steals for the Cougars who won their first PAC women's basketball title.
There will be plenty of big cat mascots in the Big Dance.
Toni Thompson was terrific again for Occidental, and the Tigers topped Cal Lutheran, 66-58, in the SCIAC title game. Thompson scored 25 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, and she had plenty of help. Paige Yasukochi and Dara Tokeshi contributed 21 points and 12 rebounds off the bench, and Dominique Cabbading tallied 10 points, seven rebounds and six assists for Occidental.
Minnesota-Morris also went on the road and beat the top-seed in its conference, as the Cougars ousted UW-Superior in the UMAC, 69-60. Maddy Grove, daugther of head coach Tim, scored 18 points on 7-for-11 shooting and was named Tournament MVP. Minnesota-Morris will make its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2015.
New England: WNEU hangs on, Rams pull away late
With Western New England leading 42-41, Hedge hit a deep three from the right wing, extending the Golden Bears’ lead to four with less than two minutes remaining. Then, after the Nor’easters got two free throws, Hedge hit a hook shot in the lane on Western New England’s next passion to keep the Golden Bears in front by four. UNE rallied within one and had the ball in the closing seconds, but the Nor’easters final shot was off the mark, giving the Golden Bears the victory and the automatic bid.
Framingham State closed the game on a 13-1 run, and the Rams topped Bridgewater State in the MASCAC tournament finale, 74-62. Framingham State’s Chloe Rayko broke a 61-all tie with a three and the Rams held the Bears to 1 free throw in the final 6-plus minutes. Framingham State got double-doubles from Flannery O’Connor (18 points, 14 rebounds) and Gwendolyn Carpenter (13 points, 11 assists).
Maine won the battle of St. Joseph, as the St. Joseph’s (Maine) bested St. Joseph (Conn.), 85-72. All five starters scored double figures for St. Joseph’s (Maine), led by Angelica Hurley who scored 25 points with five 3-pointers. The Monks outscored the Blue Jays 27-6 from behind the arc on their way to the GNAC title and automatic bid.
Maine Maritime erupted for 34 points in the fourth quarter, and the Mariners rallied past SUNY-Cobleskill, 78-62, for the NAC’s automatic bid. The Tigers entered the fourth quarter with a 48-44 lead, but Maine Maritime shot 10-for-18 from the field and added 11 free throws in that period. Erianna Moore filled the stat sheet with 24 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, and three blocks for Maine Maritime.
Red Hawks, Lions and Dolphins go dancing
After losing to Knox in the MWC tournament final last season, Ripon ensured that history did not repeat itself. The Red Hawks surged to a 46-26 halftime lead and extinguished the Prairie Fire, 84-70. Bonnie Jensen and Ellen Ten Pas combined for 47 points on 17-for-23 shooting for Ripon. The Red Hawks prevailed despite being outscored 30-3 from behind the arc.
Morgan Altavilla scored 29 points and Madilyn Boyer posted a double-double (15 points, 13 rebounds) to push Penn State-Behrend past La Roche, 73-54, in the AMCC title game. The Lions seized control by outscoring the Redhawks 40-25 in the middle periods. These teams have won the AMCC’s automatic bid every season since 2018.
The Volt Division has bragging rights over the Skye Division in the UEC after Penn State-Harrisburg triumphed over St. Elizabeth, 64-59, in the conference’s first championship game since the UEC and CSAC merged. The Lions only made 19 field goals, but 10 of them where 3-pointers, led by Jenna Montana who had four on her own.
Mount St. Vincent secured its first Skyline title since 2015 in surprising fashion, as the Dolphins rolled top-seed Manhattanville, 63-42. Mount St. Vincent led the entire game and held the Valiants to five points in the fourth quarter. Amber Been led the Dolphins with 19 points and Ariella Johnson scored another 18 off the bench for Mount St. Vincent.
Berea couldn’t secure an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament because its conference doesn’t have one yet, but the Mountaineers defeated Belhaven, 80-60, for the CCS crown and will likely get the one bid to the NCAA Tournament reserved for teams in their position. Drea Satori scored 23 points on 8-for-10 shooting in 31 minutes for Berea.