2019 NCAA Tournament

[Caz Bombers]

are Tufts and Scranton playing to 21? These teams are a combined 7-43 from the floor with 4 and a half to go until halftime.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

While the top of Division III WBB has remained somewhat locked in ... I do feel there is more parity in women's basketball. It isn't like men's basketball right now, but it has gotten deeper to be sure. Just look at how many more teams were considered top of the 25 best.

That said ... the top echelon is really hard to crack.

[Rofrog]

It is called defense!Something both teams and the top half of the nescac work alot on.That is why they are 5th and 6th in defense in the nation.Anyone can put a ball in a basket.

[Rofrog]

Halftime score 16-15

[NEPAFAN]

It is called defense!Something both teams and the top half of the nescac work alot on.That is why they are 5th and 6th in defense in the nation.Anyone can put a ball in a basket.

I can't ! 

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

The final fours are set! Eight of the best men's and women's teams remain to battle it out for two national titles. On the women's side, many of those expected to make it to Salem. On the men's side, none of the top four powers will be in Fort Wayne.

Sunday on Hoopsville, Dave takes a look at both a record breaking performance on the men's side and chats with the four teams dancing on the women's side. (Due to the extensive coverage in Fort Wayne at the men's championship weekend, Sunday's show will have more women's coverage than men's.) How one man put up 62-points in a game and has already shattered the single-tournament scoring record. And how the four hosts on the women's side survived their weekends to advance.

Hoopsville is presented by D3hoops.com and airs from the WBCA/NABC Studio. Sunday's show can be seen LIVE starting at 7:00 p.m. ET right here: http://bit.ly/2NRnPZi (or via Facebook Live and Periscope simulcasts).

If you have questions about Division III basketball, feel free to send them and we will answer them on a the show. Email them to dave.mchugh@d3sports.com or use any of the social media options below.

Guests Schedule (order subject to change):
- Aston Francis, Wheaton (Ill.) senior guard
- Jeff Hans, No. 1 Thomas More women's coach
- Adrienne Schibles, No. 3 Bowdoin women's coach
- Ruth Sinn, No. 2 St. Thomas women's coach
- Bridgette Mann, No. 9 Scranton senior guard
- Carey Harveycutter, City of Salem (Vir.)

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[ronk]

 The top official in DI women's basketball is Joe Vaszily, Scranton grad and chairman of the board of trustees. Will he be working the Thomas More game tonight?   

[Mr. Ypsi]

At the half, TMU leads Scranton, 37-28.  The winner will play Bowdoing, who downed UST in the first semi.

[Mr. Ypsi]

FINAL:  TMU 69, Scranton 56.  That sets up the title game that I suspect most neutral observers wanted:  Bowdoin, d3hoops.com poll #1 much of the season vs. Thomas More, #1 entering the tourney (and my pick for #1 ever since the turn of the year).

[ronk]

 Items from the Final 4:
   Thomas More just too strong - inside game, outside game, defense(shot clock violations), press, plus POY; responded to any runs by Scranton and Bowdoin with runs of their own
   Talked with Randolph-Macon Coach Lahaye about her game with Scranton in the Final 4 14 years ago in which the sister of their current men's coach was the X factor, coming off the bench with double figures. Coach Lahaye had 2 younger women with her, presumably players, and I'm guessing, after the fact, that one of them was Kelly Williams who had a lot of double-doubles early in the season before being injured.
   Also, with Rochester Jim Scheible - mentioned the regional?/sectional? some years ago that had him, Mike Strong, Pat Manning(the 2 all-star coaches), and Andy Yosinoff; there were something like 2150 victories among the 4 at that time in that regional.
   And with Messiah Coach Mike Miller
   All-star game was competitive and entertaining; Mike Strong said he felt like coming back out of retirement when his team scored so well; got to see many for 1st time; standouts were Kelsi McNamara(St. Joe(ME)), Mia Morrison(WM Smith), Bryce Frank(Austin), Brandi Dawson(Trine), Madeline Homoly(Wash U).
   2018 POY Kathy Kerrigan in attendance, cheering on her Bowdoin Bears
   Conversed with many player parents(dads of Madison Temple, Maddie Hasson, Abby Kelly, Taylor Choate, mom of Sam Roy); all were very nice down-to-earth people that I usually find in D3 basketball
   Gordon Mann was just too busy to talk with; I'll be watching the replays to hear his commentary.
   Site(Roanoke College's Cregger Fieldhouse) was an outstanding facility for the Final 4 and the event was 1st class

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

How did you find the parking situation?  Gordon mentioned it might've been a problem for people.

[ronk]

 Lucky enough the 1st day to get a spot in small lot near entrance when a student left at same time; 2nd day parked down the hill 100 yards away, early enough for all-star game; later arrivals may have had a problem.

[GoPerry]

FINAL:  TMU 69, Scranton 56.  That sets up the title game that I suspect most neutral observers wanted:  Bowdoin, d3hoops.com poll #1 much of the season vs. Thomas More, #1 entering the tourney (and my pick for #1 ever since the turn of the year).

Items from the Final 4:
   Thomas More just too strong - inside game, outside game, defense(shot clock violations), press, plus POY; responded to any runs by Scranton and Bowdoin with runs of their own
   

So I guess we'll see if the last Bowdoin #1 vote holdout will finally vote for TMU and make them the unanimous #1 in the final season poll?

[truenorth]

Given that I'm a Bowdoin sports fan with all admitted bias, I reckon this question will sound like sour grapes...  But are Thomas More's D3 achievements at all suspect given they're moving up to the NAIA division next season...and I think I read their 2015 national title was vacated due to alleged recruiting violations?  Please provide any perspective that you can to help my understanding.

[gordonmann]

Not in my mind.

Consider the following...

- Madison Temple, who was unquestionably the best player in the country, also won the Jostens Trophy because she excels in the class room, too. That's very much in keeping with the Division III student athlete model.

- Shelby Rupp was TMU's next best player. Like Temple, she played her whole career as a Division III athlete. The decision to move from D3 to NAIA was partly born of necessity (TMU couldn't find a conference) and occurred between her junior and senior years. She didn't come to TMU because of hopes of a scholarship, which TMU will be able to offer in NAIA.  Same goes for Michaela Ware and Kelly Clapper who are seniors. The juniors on team, Emily Schultz and Kaela Saner, will play one year of NAIA ball or at least be eligible to do so. But I assume they didn't have any idea that TMU would be in NAIA when they made her college decision.

A lot of schools have some kind of institutional advantage that other schools consider unfair. Someone pointed out to me that Bowdoin benefited from playing 21 home games (compared to Thomas More's 11), including the game against Amherst that determined the NESCAC regular season title, NESCAC tournament and the first four rounds of the NCAA Tournament. Others have complained to me that NESCAC schools can do more in financial aid because of their endowments and need-blind approach to financial aid.

My take is that all schools have institutional advantages and disadvantages of some nature. How much you think they matter depends on your point of view, and usually depends on how much the team in question is winning.