One of the only sure things about the NCAA Division III women’s basketball tournament is that a local team will advance to the second round.

That is because two of the teams — Bowdoin College and the University of Southern Maine — play each other when the tournament begins today at 16 different sites.

Bowdoin (19-7) will face USM (21-6) at Ithaca (N.Y.) College, at 6 p.m.

At Tufts University in Medford, Mass., the University of New England (22-5) takes on Johns Hopkins University (23-4), at 6 p.m.

Second-round games take place Saturday at 7 p.m. The winners there advance to the Sweet 16 next weekend.

USM VS. BOWDOIN

This game is rich in tradition.

USM is making its 25th NCAA appearance in 27 years (2011 being one of those off years).

Bowdoin is making its 12th straight appearance, and 13th in 14 years. The Polar Bears have reached the Sweet 16 the past two seasons.

USM holds a 31-13 edge in the season series with Bowdoin, including a 63-49 win in Gorham last November.

Bowdoin and USM have met three other times in the NCAAs, with the Polar Bears winning twice, but USM taking the most recent encounter, 56-53 in 2006.

Both teams feature balance, but also a definite leader.

Bowdoin’s 5-foot-8 senior Jill Henrikson of Bath led the NESCAC in scoring (17-point average), and also paced her team in rebounding (6.8 average).

USM’s 6-1 Courtney Cochran of Waite, was named Little East Conference Player of the Year, leading the league in scoring (17.9) and rebounds (11).

The Huskies also feature a slew of other local players, led by 5-9 junior Haley Jordan of Falmouth (15.1-points a game), 5-7 senior Nicole Garland (12.7 average, 75 3-pointers), and former Lake Region High guards Renee Nicholas and Kim Rivet, both seniors being named to the Little East All-Defensive Team.

After a 4-3 start, USM won 17 of its final 20 games, two of those losses coming to Little East champion Rhode Island College.

“We’ve been playing very well,” Huskies coach Gary Fifield said. “We’ve had a lot of good wins lately, against some good teams.”

In USM’s November win over Bowdoin, Polar Bears Coach Adrienne Shibles said her team was adjusting to the lost of 6-foot senior Nicole Coombs to injury.

“It came at a time when we were trying to find out who we were as a team,” Shibles said. “We certainly didn’t play our best game, and they played exceptionally well – which is how we expect they’ll play every time we face them.”

In that November game, USM drew more fouls (15 of 21 from the free throw line, to Bowdoin’s 4 of 7) and out-rebounded Bowdoin 42-34.

The Polar Bears have won at least one game in their last 11 NCAA appearances – the longest current streak in Division III.

The USM-Bowdoin winner will play the winner of the late Friday game between host Ithaca (23-4) and Elms (20-8), on Saturday night.

Ithaca is heavily favored tonight. The Bombers won the Empire 8 Conference with balanced scoring (four players averaging 9.5 points or better).

They are not overly tall (starting forwards are 6-foot and 5-8) but out-rebound teams 43-35.

UNE VS. JOHNS HOPKINS

Johns Hopkins is known for its Division I lacrosse success, but the Blue Jays have been successful in Division III women’s basketball, having reached the NCAA tournament 10 times (three Sweet 16s), the last coming in 2010.

UNE coach Anthony Ewing was still learning about his opposition; he knows they have height and a scoring guard.

Johns Hopkins’ four regulars at the post position include two 6-1 plays and two 5-11. They are led by 6-1 Alex Vassila (10.9 points/9.7 rebounds a game). Senior 5-7 guard Chanel Mattiola has hit 52 3-pointers, and averages 12.4 points.

The Nor’easters are making their second NCAA appearance in three years. UNE, the regular-season champion of the Commonwealth Coast Conference, is coming off a 53-49 upset loss to Endicott in the league semifinals.

“We played hard, got good looks, out-rebounded them, but we just couldn’t make shots,” Ewing said of his team’s 24-percent shooting.

The Nor’easters usually shoot 38 percent, led by Kelley Paradis of Newport (13.0-point average), Beth Suggs of Bath (12.5), Margo Russell of Madison (10.4), and Lauren Rousseau of Biddeford (9.6), and helped by Kari Pelletier of South Paris (69 assists).

It will be up to Suggs (5-11) and Russell and Paradis (both 5-10) to battle the Blue Jays on the boards.

The UNE-Johns Hopkins winner will play Saturday against the late Friday night winner between host Tufts (21-6) and Misericordia (17-10). Tufts, the NESCAC runner-up to top-ranked Amherst, is favored to reach the sweet 16 round.

Staff Writer Kevin Thomas can be contacted at 791-6411 or at:

kthomas@pressherald.com

Twitter: KevinThomasPPH

 

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