The NCAA Division III Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament Selection Show took place on Monday afternoon. Automatic qualifiers Husson men, Maine Maritime women, Bowdoin women, and St. Joe’s College women will represent the state, as will the Bates College women as an at large bid.
All Maine teams will play first round games on Friday. North Atlantic Conference men’s champion Husson (23-5) will be at #14 New York University (20-5) at 6:45 p.m. The Eagles are making their second tournament appearance in the last three seasons.
Back to back NAC Champion Maine Maritime women’s basketball (23-4) will head to Smith College (25-3). The Mariners return to the dance for a second straight year and have a 17 game win streak, while the Pioneers (Massachusetts) have won 11 straight. Game time to be announced.
The St. Joseph’s College women’s basketball team (21-7) upset top seed the University of Saint Joseph’s (Connecticut) in the GNAC Conference Championship game on Saturday. The Monks are in the dance for a second straight season and third time in five years, but get a tough first round draw as they head to Rhode Island to take on unbeaten Rhode Island College (27-0) with a game time to be announced.
Bowdoin (25-2) and Bates College (22-5) women’s teams met in the NESCAC Championship game on Sunday, with the Polar Bears coming away with a 66-56 win. Both clubs though have earned the right to host this weekend. Bates will battle Brooklyn College (18-8) in Lewiston at 6:30, while Bowdoin takes on Western New England (22-5) at 7:30 in Brunswick.
Story by Chris Lessner
