SCRANTON, Pa. — The Bowdoin College women’s basketball team earned a spot in the NCAA Division III semifinals Saturday night, taking command at the start and defeating Tufts 66-48 in a regional final.
The Polar Bears (29-2) will play undefeated Wartburg (31-0) on Friday night in Rochester, Minnesota. Defending champion Amherst (31-0) will meet Thomas More (30-1) in the other semifinal.
Bowdoin opened a 20-8 lead in the first quarter against Tufts (25-4), then increased the advantage to as many as 19 points in the second quarter.
The Jumbos moved within 37-31 with 4:24 remaining in the third quarter before Bowdoin responded with a 20-2 run over the next 9:12.
Taylor Choate led Bowdoin with 18 points. Kate Kerrigan added 11 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
MEN
AMERICA EAST: Jairus Lyles hit a long 3-pointer with less than a second left, lifting Maryland-Baltimore County (24-10) over top-seeded Vermont (27-7) 65-62 in the championship game at Burlington, Vermont.
Second-seeded UMBC had lost 23 straight times to the Catamounts over the last 10 years, but rallied to earn its first NCAA tournament trip since 2008.
BIG EAST: Mikal Bridges scored 25 points and hit two 3-pointers in overtime to lift Villanova (30-4) to a 76-66 win over Providence (21-13) in the championship game at New York.
BIG 12: Devonte Graham piled up 18 points and 13 assists, and Kansas (27-7) proved its toughness down the stretch in a 81-70 win over West Virginia (24-10) in the title game at Kansas City, Missouri.
IVY LEAGUE: Seth Towns and Chris Lewis each had a double-double to help Harvard (18-12) beat Cornell (12-16) 74-55 in the semifinals at Philadelphia.
In the other semifinal, A.J. Brodeur scored 25 points on 10-of-13 shooting, and grabbed 10 rebounds for Pennsylvania (23-8), which never trailed in an 80-57 win over Yale (16-15).
ATLANTIC COAST: Virginia (31-2) completed one of the most successful seasons in the storied history of the league, beating North Carolina (25-10) 71-63 in the championship game at New York to finish 20-1 against league competition.
MID-EASTERN ATHLETIC: Pablo Rivas had 22 points and North Carolina Central (19-15) scored 11 straight to break a 58-all tie and beat Hampton (19-15) 71-63 in the final at Norfolk, Virginia.
SUN BELT: Kaelon Wilson scored 12 of his 17 points in the second half and No. 4 seed UT-Arlington (21-12) upset top-seeded Louisiana-Lafayette (27-6) 71-68 in a semifinal at New Orleans.
In the other semifinal, Isaiah Williams scored 14 of his 21 points in the second half, Devin Mitchell hit a late 3-pointer and Georgia State (23-10) held off Georgia Southern (21-12), 73-67.
MOUNTAIN WEST: Troy Kell scored 28 points to lead San Diego State (22-10)over New Mexico (19-15) 82-75 in the championship game at Las Vegas.
ATLANTIC 10: Andre Berry scored 18 points, Fatts Russell made two crucial 3-pointers in the final six minutes and Rhode Island (25-6) rallied past Saint Joseph’s (16-16) 90-87 in the semifinals at Washington.
In the other semifinal, Peyton Aldridge scored 24 points and No. 3 seed Davidson (20-11) snapped a 13-game winning streak by second-seeded St. Bonaventure (25-7) with an 82-70 victory.
SOUTHEASTERN: Wenyen Gabriel shot 7 of 7 on 3s and matched his career high with 23 points, sending Kentucky (23-10) past Alabama (19-15) 86-63 in the semifinals at St. Louis.
In the other semifinal, Jordan Bone scored 19 points during a hot-shooting first half for Tennessee (25-7) in an 84-66 win over Arkansas (23-11).
AMERICAN ATHLETIC: Jarron Cumberland scored 18 points, and Gary Clark had 17 points and 12 rebounds to rally Cincinnati (29-4) to a 70-60 victory over Memphis (21-13) in the semifinals at Orlando, Florida.
In the other semifinal, Rob Gray had a key steal and scored 33 points, including two free throws with five seconds remaining as Houston (26-6) held off Wichita State (25-7), 77-74.
SOUTHWESTERN ATHLETIC: Trayvon Reed had 17 points and 10 rebounds, Demontrae Jefferson added 15 points and Texas Southern (15-19) defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff (14-20) 84-69 in the championship game at Houston.
MID-AMERICAN: Wes Clark scored 26 points, and Buffalo (26-8) won its third league title in four years by beating Toledo (23-11) 76-66 at Cleveland.
BIG WEST: Channon Fluker had 24 points and 17 rebounds, Tessa Boagni added 23 points and No. 5 seed Cal State Northridge (19-15) upset top-seeded UC Davis (25-6) 63-55 in the championship game at Anaheim, California.
CONFERENCE USA: Jon Elmore scored 20 of his 27 points after halftime, including 11 straight in a span of just over two minutes, and Marshall (24-10) is going to its first NCAA tournament since 1987 after a 67-66 win over Western Kentucky (24-10) in the championship game at Frisco, Texas.
NOTES
CONNECTICUT: The school fired Coach Kevin Ollie, with the team under NCAA investigation and the Huskies having completed their second straight losing season.
The university said in a statement it has “initiated disciplinary procedures” to dismiss him for “just cause.”
GEORGIA: Coach Mark Fox was fired after a disappointing season and a loss to Kentucky in the SEC quarterfinals.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Comments are no longer available on this story