BRUNSWICK — The first and second round of the 2019 NCAA Division III women’s basketball tournament comes to Morrell Gymnasium beginning this evening for the chance to advance to the Sweet 16 next weekend.
Bowdoin earned an at-large bid with a 26-1 record and will play Hunter College (18-9) this evening at 7 p.m. The other first round match-up will feature Smith College (21-6) and Merchant Marine (22-3). The winners of tonight’s games will meet in the second round on Saturday at 7 p.m.
The winner of Saturday’s contest will advance to one of the four sectional sites (March 8-9), with the chance to advance to the national semifinals and final March 15-16. The semifinals/final will be conducted at Cregger Center on the campus of Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia, hosted by the Old Dominion Athletic Conference and the City of Salem.
Runners-up in the New England Small College Athletic Conference tournament last Sunday, the Polar Bears will look to continue their magical season and hope to benefit from playing in front of their home crowd on the Brunswick campus.
“It has been an amazing season, and a true blessing to be around these ladies every day. They are phenomenal women and it is a gift,” Bowdoin coach and recently named NESCAC Coach of the Year Adrienne Shibles said. “We’re thrilled to have a chance to host and be in the NCAA Tournament.
“We are truly grateful for all the support we have received this season. Fans stand in line for tickets, and we don’t take all of their support for granted. After our loss, we received flowers. It is a special connection for sure.”
Let’s take a look at the four teams playing on the Bowdoin College campus this weekend.
Bowdoin Polar Bears
Ranked first nationally for nearly most of the season by the D3hoops.com and WBCA Coaches polls, last year’s national runners-up fell to NESCAC foe Tufts in the conference’s championship game. But playing in one of the toughest conferences in Division III, which placed four teams in the tournament, has challenged Bowdoin and has the squad prepared for the next step, taking on Hunter College of New York.
“They are a dangerous team, and not a typical first-round opponent for the number two team in the nation,” Shibles said. “Their losses were early and they went on quite a run. They press, run the court and can shoot. Their guards are athletic, and their forwards are physical. But, we’re excited to be tested and to have the game inside Morrell.”
Bowdoin is led by NESCAC Player of the Year and First Team member Abby Kelly. The senior led Bowdoin with 14.7 points per game this season. She saw double figures in 23-of-27 games and surpassed 1,000-point mark earlier this season. Her 1,162 points ranks seventh at Bowdoin while she is fifth in program history with 134 made baskets from behind the arc.
Junior Maddie Hasson, also a First Team All-NESCAC selection, brings 14.6 points per game along with 5.4 rebounds for the Polar Bears, with nearly 60-percent of those caroms coming off the offensive glass.
Taylor Choate, voted NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year, chipped in with 12.1 points per game, dished out nearly three-and-a-half assists , while generating just over two steals per contest to land the senior a Second Team All-Conference nod.
Sam Roy holds down the backcourt, as the 5-foot-3 guard averaged 9.6 points and led the team in assists (117), minutes per game (28.4) and field-goal percentage at an 86.5-percent clip.
Bowdoin ranked third in the country in scoring, averaging 84.4 points and have the second-best scoring margin at plus-29, against the nation’s third-ranked strength of schedule.
While the Polar Bears will take it one game at a time, they are somewhat familiar with the other two remaining opponents should Bowdoin advance to Saturday’s second round.
“I know a little bit about Smith because (former Bowdoin standout) Kate Kerrigan is an assistant coach there,” Shibles said. “They (Smith and Merchant Marine) are both really talented teams.”
Hunter College Hawks
As Coach Shibles eluded to, the Hawks are a sneaky good team, champions of the CUNY Athletic Conference and winners of 15 of their last 16 games.
Led by CUNYAC Player of the Year senior Jade Aponte’s 19 points per game, the Hawks average 75.1 points, allowing just an average of just over 60 points on defense.
The Hawks also boast one of the top turnover margins in the country (plus 261), a 9.67 margin per game, good for third best in D-III.
Junior Janine Conway averaged 14.3 points, while 6-foot forward Ashley Arias hauled in nearly eight rebounds a game, while averaging 7.4 points along the way.
Capturing its first CUNYAC championship in 15 years, and ninth overall, the Hawks make their fifth NCAA tournament appearance. Their last appearance was in 2004, and the Purple and Gold will attempt to win the first NCAA tournament game in program history this evening.
Smith College Pioneers
The Pioneers fell in last week’s semifinal game in the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Championship, but earned an at-large bid after a successful 2018/19 campaign.
Smith has been led all season by senior Lauren Bondi, who earned Athlete of the Year honors in the NEWMAC recently. The senior guard averaged 18.7 points and is shooting 43-percent from 3-point range and 85.3-percent from the free-throw line.
Six-foot forward Kennedy Guest-Pritchett averaged a double-double during the season, scoring 14.3 points per game, while grabbing nearly 12 boards a contest. The senior is Smith’s all-time leading scorer (1,516 points) and became the first student-athlete in program history to reach 1,000 career rebounds.
Both Bondi and Guest-Pritchett were named to the NEWMAC First Team, garnering the honors for the second and third times, respectively.
Katy McLellan also brings an average of over 10 points per game along with six rebounds a night to the potent Smith offense, which scored almost 71 (70.9) points per game, while allowing an average of just 55.
Merchant Marine Mariners
The first-time Skyline champions earned the chance to face Smith after a solid campaign.
Led by Skyline Coach of the Year Matt Dempsey, coaching in his 11th season for the Mariners, the team has the ability to score, but it’s the measly 45.2 points per game allowed that stands out when looking at the stat sheet. Included in those numbers — holding conference top-seed Mount St. Mary to 39 points in a thrilling 44-39 road win in the title game.
Freshman Lauren Hunter was recently chosen by the conference head coaches as the Rookie of the Year. Hunter also landed on the All-Skyline First Team after recording a league-leading 18 double-doubles on the season, ranking sixth among all D-III players. She also ranked third in the conference with a .518 shooting percentage and 12.3 rebounds per game, while her 17.1 points per game were good for fifth.
Kaleigh D’Arcy was also named to the All-Skyline First Team. It is the second straight season the junior was honored. The Mariners’ tri-captain produced 14.4 points per game, 6.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists.
The Mariners began the year on an 11-game winning streak before losing to Mount St. Mary in January. After a defeat to the Coast Guard by two points in early February, Merchant Marine lost again the Knights in the season finale, finishing the regular season with a 16-2 clip before running the table in the conference tourney.
Tickets are $7 for adults, $4 for seniors and students. Bowdoin students are free with identification.
Tickets will be sold at the door both days, beginning at 4 p.m. on Friday and 6 p.m. on Saturday.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
