WBB: Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

Transylvania wins their tournament opener over Rhodes 58-45. Pioneers led by 8 after the 1st and kept the lead comfortable the rest of the way.
Tomorrow they'll play Millikin who beat Emory 76-70 in the first game.

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

Transylvania led 36-24 at halftime but Millikin came back and tied it up at 46 after 3. Transylvania responded in the 4th and won 71-59. They'll face Ohio Northern in the Sweet 16.

There was an interesting moment late which the announcers brought up and I think is a good idea. There was an inadvertent whistle which stopped play and Millikin was able to make subs. Really, if there's an inadvertent whistle (meaning play shouldn't have been stopped) you shouldn't be allowed to make subs at that time. It shouldn't be considered a deadball situation.

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

Transylvania will host this weekend. #14 Trine vs #6 NYU in the first game followed by #16 Ohio Northern vs #2 Transylvania

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

3 down, 3 to go. Transylvania cruises to a 67-43 win over Ohio Northern to reach 30 wins for the season.
Now for the matchup we've all waited for since the bracket was released... Transylvania vs NYU

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

https://heartlandconf.org/news/2023/3/6/general-hcac-announces-winter-2022-2023-commissioners-cup-standings.aspx

Women's Standings after the winter season (with 1st place sports)
1) Transylvania        - 53.65 (volleyball, tennis, basketball, field hockey [only 2 play])
2) Hanover               - 48.47 (soccer)
3) Rose-Hulman       - 42.30 (indoor T&F)
4) Anderson             - 40.83
5) Franklin               - 35.31 (swimming)
6) Manchester          - 34.14 (cross country)
7) Mount St. Joseph - 25.98
8) Bluffton               - 25.49
9) Earlham               - 19.66
10) Defiance             - 6.32

Spring sports include golf, softball, lacrosse, and outdoor track and field.

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

A rematch of the Elite 8 in volleyball this year which NYU won 3 sets to 1, Transy dominated the 2nd quarter to lead by 13 at halftime, high scoring 3rd quarter and it's 58-47 with 10 minutes left. Let's go Pioneers.

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

FINAL FOUR!
Transylvania handled the press well, hit their FT and win 79-63.
They'll head to Hartford to play the winner of Smith-Trinity (CT)

[gordonmann]

It's the Pioneers versus the Pioneers! Every broadcaster's nightmare.

Well, that or Trinity versus Trinity, I guess.

Congrats to Transylvania. They looked awesome from the parts of the game I watched tonight.

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

All-Region announced

Coach of the Year: Juli Fulks, Transylvania

First Team
G   Lexi Dellinger   Anderson
G   Madison Kellione   Transylvania

Third Team
G   Kennedi Stacy   Transylvania
F   Dasia Thornton   Transylvania

[Riley Zayas]

My latest feature is up on D3hoops.com, highlighting Transylvania's run to the Final Four. Had a great conversation with Juli Fulks and Madison Kellione earlier in the week. Can't wait for the matchup against Smith!

https://www.d3hoops.com/playoffs/women/2023/not-this-time-for-transylvania

[Enginerd]

My latest feature is up on D3hoops.com, highlighting Transylvania's run to the Final Four. Had a great conversation with Juli Fulks and Madison Kellione earlier in the week. Can't wait for the matchup against Smith!

https://www.d3hoops.com/playoffs/women/2023/not-this-time-for-transylvania

Will be interesting, indeed. Other than a loss to Thomas More in 2019 (after very controversially hosting the first weekend) this will be Transylvania's first NCAA Tournament game played somewhere other than their home floor - since the 2014-15 season. They are all-to-aware how weak the HCAC is - so their non-conference schedule every season is carefully calibrated to play teams that aren't good enough to beat them, but just good enough that it won't blatantly look like a schedule full of cream-puffs - and even in those instances they try every way in the world to host those games - usually via their two pre-Christmas tournaments. They rightfully feel invincible at home, and their coaching staff very much believes in the power of home games...and vice versa. I'll guarantee their staff is sweating bullets today, worried about how they'll shoot the ball in a gym they aren't used to and 100% comfortable in - because there might not be a women's team in NCAA Division 3 as reliant on the 3-pointer as Transylvania - but they ARE very good at it.

Having said that, Transylvania IS really good, and extremely well-coached. I would not be surprised to see them blow-out Smith, as I was definitely not impressed with what I saw of them last weekend. Maybe it wasn't a great sample, but it will require a really, really good defensive team to take down Transylvania, and Smith ain't  it.

The key to defeating Transylvania is to defend the living daylights out of them, don't give them easy looks, make them scratch and claw for everything. The over-looked key to their success is their ability to create 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th chances and extra possessions by out-working and out-hustling the other team for loose balls and rebounds - especially Stacy and Thornton. They remind me a great deal of the 2005-2013 DePauw teams in that regard. Just relentless.

A gritty, hard-nosed defensive team that doesn't turn the ball over against their press (that's really just designed to eat up the shot-clock), and won't allow them to run up and down the floor, chucking 3's and chasing offensive rebounds, is Transylvania's Kryptonite. If you don't believe me, go and watch last year's NCAA game vs. Trine, or any 2015-2022 game vs. Rose-Hulman (when they actually had athletes). I just don't know that there's anyone left in the field that can do that. The HCAC will probably see it's first basketball trophy this weekend.

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

I'm not sure the HCAC has won a title in any team sport. Transylvania mens golf had back to back runnerups in 2012-13 but that's about all I know of. Hopefully we'll finally have one in two more games.

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

Back and forth so far, Transy out to a 6-0 lead early, Smith came back and held the lead for a while, Transy went on a run to end the half and it's 38-31 at halftime. Finally started hitting 3s late, giving up too many offensive rebounds though. They've given up 9 offensive boards and are -5 overall. Smith has been two players offensively, Pickunka and Morrison have 29 of Smith's 31 points so far.

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

Wow, Morrison had to sit several minutes in the 2nd quarter with 2 fouls, just picked up 2 quick ones in the 3rd and she's back on the bench. Chance for Transy to blow it open if they go on a run like the 2nd quarter.

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

Just 10 minutes away from a trip to the championship. 57-42 but Transy is struggling on the boards still. Thankfully Smith is 0 of 16 from three