BRUNSWICK – Morrell Gymnasium was alive with the sound of the postseason this week as the Bowdoin women’s basketball team prepared for the NCAA Division III tournament Sweet 16.

The third round has been the end of the line in years past for seniors Katie Bergeron and Colleen Sweeney.

The pair hopes it’s time for a breakthrough. Bowdoin will face Babson (29-0) at 5 p.m. today in the Sweet 16 at Amherst College in Amherst, Mass., with a berth in the Elite 8 at stake.

“It’s so exciting, especially when you see all the potential your team has,” said Bergeron, a guard from Bradley. “I think we’re peaking at the right time.

“We’ve talked about how special this team is, not that it hasn’t been in years past, but we’ve really come together with a different level of trust.”

Bowdoin (24-5) knocked off Salve Regina 74-64 to open the NCAA tournament and followed with a 61-53 second-round win against Mount St. Mary to punch a ticket to the Sweet 16.

The wins came after falling 72-37 to Amherst in the New England Small College Athletic Conference final.

“I think you learn more from a loss than you do from a win,” said Sweeney. “I think it certainly has helped prepare us to face adversity in the future.”

The team was without guard Jill Henrikson during that stretch, sidelined with a concussion. She practiced this week and is expected to be cleared for tonight’s game. She’s the team’s second-leading scorer with 11.2 points per game.

“We’re thrilled she’s coming back,” said Sweeney, who averages 7.2 points and 4.0 rebounds. “She is certainly a very important asset to the team.”

One trait Sweeney sees that separates this team: defensive intensity.

“Once somebody brings it on the court, it’s contagious,” said Sweeney. “We’re able to pump each other up.

“That’s unique. It doesn’t happen on all teams, to be able to feed off each other’s energy is something that I think can take us further.”

Bowdoin has outrebounded opponents 38.6 to 33.7 and has created 19.5 turnovers a game.

That defensive intensity will be paramount, said Coach Adrienne Shibles, who spent all week prepping her team for a sizable opponent, with four players at least 6 feet tall.

“Their size is definitely their strength, so that’ll be interesting for us since we don’t have a lot of size,” said Shibles.

Bowdoin has two 6-foot forwards: Nicole Coombes and Kaitlyn Smith. Babson has two 6-2 forwards, a 6-1 forward and another at 6 feet.

Regardless of the matchup differences, Shibles said her team is prepared.

“This is what we’ve been working for all season,” said Shibles. “They’ve really been working for it since we lost that game in the Sweet 16 last year. They’ve been really motivated.”

Should Bowdoin advance to the sectional final, they will play the winner of a game between Amherst and Muhlenberg at 6 p.m. Saturday.

Some players will have to take exams while they’re on the road, as today is the final day of classes before spring break.

Still, said Shibles, her team is ready to go.

“The women on this team are really grounded and very focused,” said Shibles. “I’m not really worried about any hype. They just seem really focused and ready to me.”

Staff Writer Jenn Menendez can be contacted at 791-6426 or at:

jmenendez@pressherald.com