NCAA Tournament 1st Round Game - UW-River Falls vs Ripon 3-6-26

The celebration was on for Ripon when the buzzer sounded as they outlasted UW-River Falls in an NCAA Tournament first round game thriller at Concordia. 

 Made a relatively fast trip up US Highway 10 and the BNSF's Staples Sub mainline up to Fargo-Moorhead on this overcast, rainy, icky Friday that got considerably colder the further north I got.  Was able to get checked into my motel room on the Fargo side of town and then make the quick trek over to cavernous Memorial Auditorium on the campus of Concordia College for this first-round NCAA Tournament pod being hosted by Concordia between UW-River Falls out of the WIAC and Ripon out of the MWC.  Just from looking at these two teams, I couldn't help but feel that this could be a very tough battle.  It had been a ten-year drought for this Falcons program since they had last been able to put on their dancing shoes but this team had more than earned its way into this little party by getting through an unbelievably tough WIAC regular season where they took some punches and threw some punches back at some very good teams.  The Red Hawks meanwhile were a perfect 16-0 in the MWC and rolled over Lawrence in the MWC Championship Game to get that conference's AQ into the Dance.  Needless to say, of all the NCAA Tournament games on this opening night, there was going to be a lot of eyes on this one and rightfully so.

These two teams would trade small leads from the outset in the opening period.  Strong junior forward Sophie Schlieve would get Ripon on the board first with a pair of free throws after she was fouled at the 9:23 mark but right back would come the Falcons as senior point guard Zoey Buchan would bury one of her trademark cold-hearted three-point bombs; this one from the right corner area at the 9:01 mark that pushed UW-River Falls out in front 3-2.  But the Red Hawks made sure that that didn't last long as Schlieve would come through again with a tough score in the paint at the 8:44 mark and a score in the paint by sophomore guard Halle Van Horn a short time later at the 8:13 mark had Ripon up 6-3.  At the 7:16 mark, Schlieve would strike again with a jumper from the free throw line area to get the lead to 8-3 and two free throws by senior guard Natalie Rauwolf after she was fouled at the 6:50 mark extended Ripon's lead to 10-3.  The Falcons worked quickly to try and get this one tightened up as slender freshman forward Emily Anderson would bang home a "3" from the left top area at the 6:32 mark and then fifth-year senior reserve forward Olivia Boily would knock down a jumper from the left top area just inside the arc at the 5:53 mark that got UW-River Falls back to within a single possession down 10-8.  But right back came this explosive Red Hawks team as they went back to work to create some separation.  Rauwolf would bang home a "3" from the right corner area at the 5:41 mark that got the lead to five at 13-8 and a lay-up by sophomore guard Karsyn Nelson at the 5:02 mark maintained the five-point edge at 15-10.  Then Ripon would get its lead to seven when junior guard Laney Havlovitz grabbed a defensive rebound and raced coast-to-coast for a lay-up with 3:59 left that made it a 17-10 ballgame.  With 1:41 left, that lead would grow to eight at 19-11 when Schlieve knocked down a jumper from the right wing area before the Falcons got the deficit cut down to six when Boily connected with a lay-up with :32 left but so far anyway, UW-River Falls definitely looked like it might have its work cut out for itself.

That notion became even more apparent in the early going of the second period as the Red Hawks got back-to-back scores.  Nelson would connect on a lay-up at the 8:47 mark and then Van Horn would connect on a lay-up in transition after a steal that now gave Ripon a ten-point cushion at 23-13 and Falcons Head Coach Shelby Lyman felt compelled to take a match to a timeout in hopes of making some quick adjustments as to what was ailing her squad.  Still the Red Hawks would increase their lead to twelve as Nelson slithered into the paint for one score at the 5:47 mark to make it 25-13 and a lay-up by Laney Havlovitz at the 5:20 mark maintained the twelve-point edge at 27-15 before UW-River Falls could find some solid footing.  Strong senior post Jocelyn Plonski muscled her way into the paint for a score with 4:58 left and a three-point bomb by Anderson from the left top area with 4:11 left had the deficit down to seven at 27-20.  With 3:23 left, the Falcons got the deficit down to six at 29-23 when Anderson unleashed her third trey of this game with a bomb from the right wing area and with 2:04 left, junior reserve guard Annamarie Aue got a short, turnaround jumper to go down that now had the deficit down to four at 29-25 and it looked as if UW-River Falls might stay in this four-point range down 31-27 when Plonski was able to knock down a tough jumper along the right baseline with 1:06 left.  But the Red Hawks managed to save their best for last as Rauwolf would bang home a cold-hearted "3" from the left corner area with :11.1 left and one free throw by Laney Havlovitz after she was fouled with just :00.7 left allowed Ripon to take a bit more separation to the locker room with a 35-27 advantage.  A quick check of the halftime box score showed that even though the Falcons had a slight edge on the boards 16-14, that small advantage was negated because UW-River Falls had thus far been guilty of 11 turnovers played a big role in their first half struggles.  That along with the fact that Ripon was enjoying a decided edge in points in the paint by a 20-10 count meant that the Falcons' Lyman and her staff were going to have to make some serious adjustments during the halftime break to plug up the leaks in their boat.

And UW-River Falls appeared to be in a tough spot again at the beginning of the third period when the Red Hawk's Rauwolf knocked down a jumper from the right wing area at the 9:35 mark that re-established the ten-point cushion for Ripon at 37-27 before the Falcons could take some nibbles off of the deficit.  Sophomore reserve guard Taylor Clarey would knock down a jumper from the left elbow area at the 9:18 mark and a score in the paint by Plonski off of an inbounds pass at the 7:43 mark got the deficit down to seven at 38-31.  The Red Hawks' Nelson would get the lead to nine when she connected on a pretty one-handed jumper off the glass at the 6:53 mark but UW-River Falls would stay the course as Plonski would get a pair of free throws to go down after getting fouled at the 6:41 mark and then at the 6:09 mark junior reserve guard Savannah Leopold took the spotlight by draining a "3" from the right wing area that suddenly cut the deficit down to four at 40-36 and Ripon Head Coach Lauren Busalacchi; becoming a bit concerned at how the tide had suddenly turned in this one, instinctively took a match to a timeout to get her troops reorganized.  The Red Hawks initially appeared to have a positive tone out of this latest stoppage as Laney Havlovitz would get a pair of free throws to go down after getting fouled at the 5:18 mark that upped the lead to six at 42-36 and a lay-up off of an inbounds pass by Van Horn with 4:28 left maintained the six-point edge at 44-38.  But UW-River Falls had seemingly had found new life infused into it as they had so many times this season and they went right back to work.  Leopold would get one free throw to go down after getting fouled with 3:15 left and with 2:52 left, Plonski would knock down a jumper from the free throw line area that suddenly had the Falcons back to within a single possession down 44-41.  With 1:32 left, UW- River Falls got into the bonus and even though Anderson couldn't complete the deal from the charity stripe after she was fouled, it nonetheless posed a problem for the Red Hawks as Van Horn now had to retreat to the pine with her fourth foul of the night.  Then with 1:05 left, the Falcons cut the deficit to a scant point as Boily would knock down a jumper from the top of the key just inside the arc and for a Ripon team that had been enjoying a ten-point cushion early on in this third period, things were suddenly looking perilous as this one moved to the fourth period.  

The Red Hawks tried to increase their safety net from the get-go of the fourth period as Rauwolf would bury another cold-hearted "3" - this one from the left corner area at the 9:40 mark but Ripon was immediately met with resistance from its opponent as the Falcons battled right back.  Anderson and her 6'0" frame would slither through traffic for a tough score in the paint at the 9:23 mark that quickly had the deficit back to a single possession down 47-45 and even that was remedied a short time later when Buchan was sent to the charity stripe after getting fouled at the 8:57 mark and she calmly sank both freebies that had this game leveled again at 47 a piece.  Undaunted, the Red Hawks relied on Rauwolf and she would again unleash terror from behind the arc with a bomb from the top of the key at the 8:50 mark that pushed Ripon back out in front again at 50-47 and when Van Horn connected on a short, turnaround jumper at the 7:59 mark that upped the lead to five at 52-47, it looked as if the Red Hawks may have solved their immediate problems.  But they soon found out that their opponent had no intention of going quietly into the night as UW-River Falls shocked the fans inside cavernous Memorial Auditorium by unleashing a 6-0 push.  Plonski would connect on a short, turnaround jumper off the glass at the 7:41 mark that got the Falcons back to within a single possession down 52-49 and less than a minute later, Clarey would connect on a nifty lay-up off of an inbounds pass at the 7:01 mark that cut the deficit to a scant point.  Finally, at the 5:40 mark, UW-River Falls pushed ahead for the first time since the opening minutes of the ballgame when Leopold connected on a pretty lay-up as the shot clock was winding down to give the Falcons a 53-52 lead.  That prompted Ripon's Busalacchi to take a match to a thirty-second timeout to get her team calmed down a bit and that short stoppage in play appeared to help as the Red Hawks took the lead back.  Schlieve would get one free throw to go down after getting fouled at the 5:19 mark that tied things up at 53 a piece and a score in the paint by Van Horn with 4:45 left pushed Ripon back in front 55-53.  But that wouldn't last long as UW-River Falls' Buchan was up to her old tricks again and she got an acrobatic lay-up to go down with 4:30 left that also drew a foul and her ensuing "and one" had the Falcons out in front again at 56-55.  Right back came the Red Hawks as senior reserve guard Natalie Bestor would bury a "3" from the right wing area with 4:15 left to put Ripon ahead again at 58-56.  This back-and-forth trend would continue as UW-River Falls' Leopold would connect on a lay-up with 3:50 left that also drew a foul and Leopold would cash in on the obligatory "and one" that gave the lead back to the Falcons at 59-58.  Not to be outdone, the Red Hawks took the lead back on a short, turnaround jumper from Van Horn with 3:33 left.  But the Falcons would respond on their subsequent possession as Buchan would unleash her brand of terror from behind the arc with a bomb from the right wing area with 3:21 left that also drew a foul and her ensuing "and one" completed this big four-point play for UW-River Falls that now had them up 63-60.  But Ripon wouldn't wait long to make a response on their next possession as Laney Havlovitz used her quickness to dart into the paint for a score with 2:52 left that also drew a foul and her ensuing "and one" fittingly leveled this contest at 63 a piece.  And Laney Havlovitz would come through again at the charity stripe for the Red Hawks a bit later after getting fouled with 2:23 left in regulation and her two freebies kept this game on even terms at 65.  With 2:02 left, the Falcons' Buchan would do her thing from the charity stripe after getting fouled with a pair of free throws that pushed UW-River Falls ahead again by a 67-65 count but Ripon was not going to let themselves be denied as Van Horn would get one free throw to go down after getting fouled with 1:46 left and after getting a stop on the other end, the Red Hawks pushed ahead at 68-67 when Nelson connected on a lay-up with 1:16 left.  With :49.5 left in regulation, Ripon's Busalacchi called a thirty-second timeout to set up strategy and when Schlieve connected on a short jumper from the right side with :36.2 left to make it 70-67, things appeared to be in the bag for Ripon.  The Falcons' Lyman would immediately take a thirty-second timeout to set up things for their subsequent possession and when they were unable to find an opening, Lyman would take a match to another thirty-second timeout with :21.9 left.  With the shot clock then winding down, UW-River Falls' Buchan would attempt a three-point bomb from the right wing area with :12.1 left and although the shot wasn't true, the groans from the Ripon crowd were more than audible when Laney Havlovitz was called for the foul which sent Buchan to the line with three free throw attempts to tie this game.  With the weight of the world on her shoulders and the tension filling the air inside cavernous Memorial Auditorium, Buchan took a deep breath before each attempt and nailed all three attempts as calmly as a butterfly might land on a plant that made it 70 a piece.  But there was still plenty of time for the Red Hawks to deliver a dagger and Busalacchi quickly took a timeout in hopes of drawing up a potential winning play.  And, to be sure, Ripon had three halfway decent looks on their final possession in regulation.  Schlieve had a lay-up attempt that went awry with :05.2 left but Van Horn was there for the offensive rebound and she couldn't get her putback to go down.  But Rauwolf was there for the offensive rebound and she quickly kicked the ball out to Laney Havlovitz who launched a three-point bomb attempt with :03.3 left.  With both fan bases holding their collective breaths, that shot attempt rattled out.  UW-River Falls managed to get the rebound this time around and the buzzer sounded with this contest still tied at 70 a piece so off to overtime we went.

Both teams would come up empty on their initial possessions of the overtime period but with 4:10 left, Ripon's Schlieve would get fouled and she got both free throw attempts to go down to push the Red Hawks ahead at 72-70 but that was answered a short time later by UW-River Falls as Anderson made a nifty move and connected on a pretty reverse lay-up with 3:49 left that again had this game on even terms at 72 a piece.  Ripon would again turn to Schlieve on their subsequent possession and she would come through with a short jumper off the glass that pushed the Red Hawks back out in front at 74-72 but on the Falcons next possession, Leopold would get an open look from the left corner area and drain a "3" that now had UW-River Falls up by one at 75-74.  But the turning point in this game would come a short time later when Ripon's Schlieve connected on a tough jumper along the right baseline area that got the Red Hawks back out in front again at 76-75.  The Falcons would come up empty on their next possession and with 2:33 left, Ripon's Schlieve would get sent to the charity stripe after getting fouled and she would get both free throw attempts to go down to make it a 78-75 game.  UW-River Falls still had plenty of time to make up for lost ground but they would suffer a costly turnover on their subsequent possession and with 2:24 left in this first overtime period, the Falcons' Lyman would call a thirty-second timeout in hopes of finding some sort of remedy for this situation.  To their credit, UW-River Falls would then get a stop on the other end and then Plonski would get one free throw to go down after getting fouled with 1:50 left that kept the Falcons ever so close down just 78-76.  But the Red Hawks would then change the complexion of this one for good on their subsequent possession when Schlieve connected on a short, turnaround jumper with 1:30 left that now had Ripon up by four at 80-76 and now UW-River Falls suddenly saw their window of opportunity closing ever so slowly.  And sure enough, on the Falcons next possession, Buchan was unable to get a lay-up attempt to cooperate with 1:06 left and although UW-River Falls got a stop on the other end, they would promptly turn the ball over with :42.1 left in this first overtime period and now the Red Hawks' Busalacchi called a timeout to set up the end-game strategy.  With :39.3 left, Ripon's Bestor would get one free throw to go down after getting foul that expanded the Red Hawks lead to five at 81-76.  Now arguably in desperation mode, UW-River Falls' Lyman had to take a match to her last timeout of this contest in hopes of dialing up a miracle.  The Falcons appeared to get something of that prescribed miracle after the stoppage in play as Buchan would bury her third trey of this night - this one coming from the left top area with :36.4 left that cut the deficit down to two at 81-79.  The Red Hawks' Busalacchi would then use her final timeout knowing full and well that the Falcons would have to foul to preserve clock and with :29.1 left, Nelson would get sent to the charity stripe after getting fouled and she was cool as a cucumber as she got both free throw attempts to go down that made it a two-possession game again at 83-79.  Now UW-River Falls was down to its last option and with :18.4 left, Clarey's three-point bomb attempt would go awry and was quickly rebounded by Ripon's Laney Havlovitz.  With :06.8 of life left in this game the Red Hawks' Nelson would get fouled and she would get one free throw to go down that essentially made it game over with an 84-79 score.  Interestingly enough, the Falcons' Anderson would get a three-point bomb to go down with just :00.3 left but all that did was make it a one-possession game as Ripon held on for a thrilling 84-81 overtime victory to advance into the second round of the Dance.

Ripon's Busalacchi was joined by Schlieve, Rauwolf and Laney Havlovitz in the postgame press conference.  UW-River Falls' Lyman was joined by both Buchan and Plonski for their portion of the postgame press conference.  The URL for this press conference is:  https://miacsportsnetwork.com/concordia/?B=3779938

In a game like this that's so close and winds up going into overtime, it's tough to find fault with what ultimately transpired for UW-River Falls at the most crucial juncture of this game.  Let's keep in mind here, this is a team that went through a plethora of ACL injuries to start the year and was sporting a rather unimpressive 7-4 overall record when they delved into WIAC play right after the first of the year.  But more than once in conference play, they kept finding ways to win big games when they really needed to have them to help boost their NPI ranking.  Though they were swept by both UW-La Crosse and UW-Oskosh, they split with UW-Whitewater and they swept UW-Platteville in addition to UW-Eau Claire.  And because of the emotional roller-coaster season they had, it's easy to see why the Falcons Lyman was emotional in that press conference afterward.  But I think over the next few days, the biggest regret for this team and coaching staff when they look back on this game is that they went 15-22 from the charity stripe for 68.2% and that includes Buchan's bravado performance when she nailed those three critical free throws late in regulation just to force OT.  Anyone who views this blog knows full and well that I will harp on free throw shooting until the cows come home and I've got no choice but to do that here in this case as well.  And it was costly in this case.  And that was exacerbated by the fact that Ripon had a 40-35 edge on the boards and a decided advantage in points in the paint at 38-28.  And although the Falcons shot reasonably well from FG range going 29-56 for 51.8%, Ripon was better from behind the arc as they were 5-12 for 41.7% compared to 8-21 for 38.1% for UW-River Falls.

The Falcons' Buchan capped a great collegiate career as she paced the UW-River Falls attack on this night with her 20 point and going 9-9 from the charity stripe - WOW!  Anderson was solid on this night with her 15 points but what was impressive was that Leopold contributed 15 points as well off the bench and Plonski was usual reliable self as she closed out her collegiate career with 13 points.  But the Red Hawks had ALL FIVE of their starters in double figures scoring-wise on this night.  Schlieve's 23 points paced all scorers on this night but as I said, she also had plenty of help as well as Rauwolf poured in 17 points including going 4-6 from downtown while Van Horn had 15 points.  Nelson finished with 13 points on this night and Laney Havlovitz wasn't far behind with her 12 points.   

Looking Ahead To Friday Evening's 1st Round Matchups For MIAC Teams 3-4-26

UW-Superior is back in the NCAA Tournament and although they'll be in the underdog role against host Concordia, the Yellowjackets could be dangerous as they'll be playing with nothing to lose.

 As we edge closer to Friday evening's opening round games, I wanted to provide something of a synopsis of the first-round matchups for each MIAC team and give a bit of a breakdown on each game.

Bethel Pod

Bethel vs Millsaps 

This is the first-ever meeting between these two programs.  Millsaps; champions of the SAA, comes into the NCAA Tournament with a 21-7 record.  A glance of the Majors roster reveals that they have a very nice blend of experience and youth.  Millsaps' leading scorer is junior guard Garin Freeman who averages 17.8 ppg but she normally gets a lot of help from fellow junior forward Tia Anderson (16.4 ppg) and senior post Elyse Warren (14.9 ppg).  A quick check of the SAA stats shows that the Majors do indeed know offense as they're second in the conference in total team offense and they're tops in the SAA in scoring margin at 8.8.  They're also near the top in FG percentage and opponent FG percentage and while the Majors aren't what you'd necessarily call a great three-point shooting team, they're tops in the conference in combined team rebounding and both team offensive and team defensive rebounds.  But interestingly, Millsaps is middle of the pack in turnover margin and assist/turnover ratio.  Ultimately what could prove fatal to the Majors hopes on Friday evening is that they're listed as dead last in team free throw percentage and that's not something you want to have bringing you down in an NCAA Tournament setting.  Given the home floor and student/fan advantage that they'll enjoy in this one, I expect that Bethel gets through this first round matchup unscathed but they'll have their hands full on Saturday night between the winner of Coe and UW-Platteville.

Concordia Pod

Concordia vs UW-Superior  

To my knowledge, this is also the first meeting between the Cobbers and the Yellowjackets; certainly the first time in the NCAA Tournament anyway.  While UW-Superior certainly didn't set the world on fire during the regular season, they got hot when it counted in the UMAC Playoffs where the Yellowjackets took down UM-Morris on the road and then dumped North Central in the UMAC Championship Game at home to claim the conference's AQ into the Dance.  UW-Superior also has a nice mix of veteran leadership and youth on their roster and they also have a first-year Head Coach as well in Eveline Parsons.  When the Yellowjackets need offense, they usually turn to junior guard Hope Carlson (9.1 ppg) and fellow junior guard Maddie Reott (8.8 ppg).  Looking at the broader picture, one could say that UW-Superior's offense isn't of the high-octane variety as they rank near the bottom in the UMAC in three-point FGs made and are middle of the pack in team 3-point FG percentage.  And they're middle of the pack in free throw percentage.  But where the Yellowjackets do excel is on the defensive side of the ball as they're numero uno in team defense in the UMAC and they're also tops in opponent FG percentage as well.  On the rebounding front, there's nobody better than UW-Superior as they're first in combined team rebounds, team offensive rebounds and combined opponents rebounds and 6'3" junior forward Charlotte Ferstl (7.0 rebounds per game) knows how to keep the glass clean.  That particular aspect could pose some problems for Concordia but I think the Cobbers simply have too many weapons and their depth will likely wear down UW-Superior as the game progresses.  But there'll be little time to celebrate as they would get the winner between UW-River Falls and Ripon and that game should be an absolute battle.

Whitewater Pod

GAC vs Chicago

Still another first time meeting between these two teams.  The Chicago program is certainly no stranger to this stage and although they finished the season at 17-7, let's remember that in the highly-competitive UAA, you're playing top-notch teams such as #1 NYU, Wash U, Carnegie Mellon, et al and the Maroons had NYU on the ropes just two short weeks ago and probably should've beaten them.  Not only is this a veteran team, they've got size to boot.  Chicago is led by sophomore forward Annabelle Spotts (11.8 ppg) and fellow sophomore guard Chris Sanders (10.0 ppg).  And while the Maroons won't blow anyone away with their overall offensive prowess, one should know that the Maroons are right up there in the UAA from the charity stripe which is bad news for any opponent if/when Chicago gets in the bonus.  No, where the Maroons excel is on defense and they're right behind said NYU team in overall defense in the UAA and they're also second in the conference in opponent FG percentage.  But I was surprised to see Chicago at the bottom of the pack in turnover margin and they're near the bottom in combined team rebounds - something I wouldn't have expected.  And while their defense is solid, they're also toward the bottom in steals.  How much that all means, I don't know for sure right now but given the fact that they were one of only two teams to thus far give NYU a real run for their money, that alone should be validation as to how good they are.  No doubt about it - this young Gustie team will likely have to play the game of their life on Friday evening - and the road ahead if they do manage to get through won't be any easier as they'd have to face off against the winner of host UW-Whitewater and Transylvania.

Oshkosh Pod

SMU vs Wisconsin Lutheran

The Warriors; who bowed to GAC in the first round last year, are back again in the Dance with an impressive 23-5 record which includes a 48-29 blasting of St. Norbert in the NACC Championship Game this last Sunday.  To be sure, this is a young team as well that's dominated by freshmen and sophomores but that aspect certainly hasn't held Wisconsin Lutheran back one iota.  And Head Coach Klay Knueppel definitely has some scorers on his squad as the Warriors are led by junior forward Margie Stevens (14.8 ppg) along with freshman guard Kenly Frey (12.4 ppg) and sophomore forward Abby Cole (11.0 ppg) and I suppose it's no surprise that the Warriors were third in total team offense in the NACC and second in team FG percentage and third in team 3-point FG percentage.  And although Wisconsin Lutheran could arguably be better at the charity stripe, they're very solid on the defensive side of the ball as they're second in overall team defense and second in margin of victory at 18.7 which is a very scary proposition.  They're tops in opponent FG percentage and opponent 3-point FG percentage as well.  Need more proof?  They're tops in combined team rebounds and team defensive rebounds as well and both Cole and senior combo guard/forward Jayden Hill are very good at their trade in this particular department.  This first-round matchup with SMU could truly be a dandy as they have very similar styles and they're both green around the gills so to speak so this one could really be fun.  Just how much "fun" there will be to be had is uncertain as whoever escapes this potential bloodbath with the dub will get the winner of host UW-Oskosh (b'gosh) and Webster and I think we know who's going to be favored in that one. 

So there's something of a breakdown on the opponents that the four MIAC teams will face on Friday night to get you a bit more familiar with these teams.  I think that, more than anything, the unfamiliarity aspect of playing unfamiliar opponents with way different playing styles than what you're normally accustomed to is one of the toughest things to overcome in the NCAA Tournament.  You can watch game videos and pore over stats and rosters but you really don't know what you're getting for sure until you get on the floor with them and get at it.  And how well each team adjusts to the other is crucial as well.  Guess that's what always makes this time of the year so fun and so interesting.  

Come on Friday night!       

 

An Exciting And Incredibly Memorable Day For MIAC Women's Basketball - Four Teams Headed For The NCAA Tournament!

SMU had a nervous weekend but made it into the Field of 64 to become one of the four MIAC teams headed for the NCAA Tournament!  

Maybe the anticipation and tension wasn't there because we knew that the NPI rankings had the top 64 teams determined - including the four MIAC teams - but still, what a thrill it was to see the brackets unveiled a bit ago and to see the four conference teams that made it - Bethel, Concordia, GAC and SMU - get their opponents and destinations determined.  So, before we go any further, I'd first like to raise my glass of champagne and give a rousing toast to the Royals, Cobbers, Gusties and Cardinals!!!  Way to go!!!

So, for starters, both Bethel and Concordia will be hosting 1st/2nd round pods.  In the Bethel Pod, the Royals have a very interesting first-round matchup with Millsaps which is located in Jackson, MS and is a member of the SAA (Southern Athletic Association).  The other first-round matchup on Friday night at Robertson Center is a humdinger as well that pits Coe which is located in my old stomping grounds of Cedar Rapids, IA (two of my brothers played tennis at Coe and graduated from there as well) which won the ARC Championship Game against UW-Platteville out of the WIAC.

Meanwhile, at the Concordia Pod (where I plan to be) up in Moorhead is also setting up to be a potentially exciting four-team get-together as well.  The Cobbers will face UMAC Championship Game winner UW-Superior while the other first round game will feature highly-regarded and MWC Championship Game winner Ripon taking on UW-River Falls out of the WIAC.  That game will be a war for sure!  

GAC meanwhile is heading over to UW-Whitewater again (they were there back in 2018 when they made a run to the Sweet 16) where they'll have a very interesting matchup of their own as they'll face off against Chicago - a perennial powerhouse program out of the UAA.  The other first-round game at the Whitewater pod will feature host UW-Whitewater taking on Transylvania.  

The new kid on the block; SMU, is getting shipped over to another WIAC host at the Oshkosh (b'gosh) Pod.  Here, the Cardinals will take on a very good Wisconsin Lutheran team that won the NACC Championship Game and this game has the potential to be a barn-burner for sure.  The other first-round game will feature host UW-Oshkosh taking on Webster.  

I'll be breaking this all down more as the week progresses but right now, let's enjoy this unbelievable - and long-awaited moment for MIAC Women's Basketball.  How cool is this?!  

Oh, here's the URL for the released brackets for the Field of 64.  Let's get it on!

https://www.d3hoops.com/playoffs/women/2026/bracket

 

  

Sunday Night Update And A Look At The Bigger Picture - Looks Like An Exciting Time For MIAC Women's Basketball! 3-1-26

The Field of 64 is set and this time, the MIAC has FOUR teams primed to have their names called Monday afternoon beginning at 1:30 PM.  Get the champagne ready and be ready to raise your glasses to Bethel, Concordia, GAC and SMU!     

So I wanted to get something out on this Sunday night as the last day of conference playoff championship games wrapped up.  Going into the MIAC Championship Game yesterday, we knew that there were at least three teams from the MIAC that were certain to receive bids into the NCAA Tournament - Concordia, Bethel and GAC.  Bethel, of course, received the conference's AQ with their win over Concordia.  The Cobbers as of yesterday morning (Saturday 2-28) were at #10 in the NPI rankings while the Royals were #17.  With Bethel's win over Concordia, the Royals saw their NPI ranking shoot from #17 all the way up to #13 so "Herbie" was indeed correct when he told me afterward that they most definitely expected to be in a position to host.  Concordia meanwhile did not fall precipitously as some may have feared; only down to #12 which is safely within the top 16 teams so the Cobbers are still in excellent position to host.  

The big uncertainty meanwhile has swirled around SMU's chances and since their loss to Concordia this last Thursday night (2-26) in the semifinal round, their hopes of being able to receive one of the 21 at-large bids seemed, well, uncertain at best.  At one point yesterday morning (Saturday 2-28), their NPI ranking was at #39 which seemed to have them positioned to get that very last at-large bid.  However, there were still a number of moving pieces still in play as of this morning with the remaining conference championship games to be played and possible "bid thieves" that could potentially steal that at-large bid that SMU was desperately trying to hang onto.  In fact, it looked as if the Cardinals' hopes might've gone up in smoke at one point this afternoon when TCNJ knocked off William Paterson in the NJAC Championship Game.  However, from subsequent posts on X by Scott Peterson (@scott_peterson4), my initial fears of SMU's demise proved to be premature (thankfully) and, if you take a look at the latest NPI rankings that were released earlier this evening, you'll see that the Cardinals are indeed still at #39 which allows them to secure that last at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament.  You can bet that Head Coach Courtney Shelton, her staff and her team must've been sweating bullets big time earlier today but they can now all heave a collective sigh of relief and look forward to an exciting Selection Monday tomorrow.  Congratulations indeed to SMU!!

And this leads to the bigger point that I was making over the last few years when the MIAC was only getting one team into the Dance because of the idiotic round-robin conference schedule that allowed you to play only three non-conference games.  It was bad enough when we were having to deal with an equally-idiotic regional ranking system that thankfully died a swift death.  But in the new world with NPI, coaches and administrators finally realized that the MIAC had to adapt to the new reality that we're now living in and adjust the conference schedule that allows teams to schedule more games against non-conference teams; specifically against those that have reasonably high NPI rankings that allows more teams to have a chance to position themselves to get into the NCAA Tournament and now we FINALLY see the rewards being reaped.  And what this does in turn is that it gives the conference much more visibility and much more credence than it ever had before and you have to believe that this is also a big boost for all the schools in the conference in terms of recruiting.  How cool is it now to see the MIAC positioned to get FOUR teams into the Dance - especially when you see across the River where the WIAC - for the second year in a row - is positioned to once again get five teams into the NCAA Tournament.  Now the MIAC is FINALLY positioned to run with the big dogs and it's high time if you ask me.  

So, the URLs to not only the current NPI rankings but also the D3 Hoops website that lists the 64 teams are listed below.  The only things we don't know right now are the brackets and actual pairings but that will all come out tomorrow afternoon (Monday 3-2) at 1:30 PM Central time.  

I don't know about you but this is ALWAYS my favorite time of the year.  😉 

https://stats.ncaa.org/selection_rankings/nitty_gritties/48990

https://www.d3hoops.com/playoffs/women/2026/projected-womens-bracket

MIAC Championship Game - Bethel vs Concordia 2-28-26

Operating from the third-seed didn't faze the Bethel Royals as they clamped down on Concordia to claim the program's second MIAC Championship Game title in Moorhead on Saturday.

 Hard to believe that it was 50 degrees when I left my place in the Northwest Suburbs early yesterday afternoon but as my trek on US Highway 10 and the BNSF's Staples Sub lengthened, a weather front passed through that brought sharper colder temperatures and some snow to boot.  Thankfully no issues travel-wise and the BNSF cooperated with some train action as well.  After getting a good supper and lodging on the Fargo-side of town, I had some extra spare time late this morning to get a little "foaming" in at Moorhead Jct before making the short trek over to cavernous Memorial Auditorium on the campus of Concordia College for today's long-awaited MIAC Championship game between visiting Bethel and host Concordia.  The Royals, coming into the MIAC Playoffs as the number-three seed, had to get this juncture the hard way but that didn't seem to deter them one bit as they demolished St. Scholastica in the Quarterfinal round on Tuesday night before taking down GAC in St. Peter on Thursday night.  The Cobbers as the number-one seed got here the hard way too but in a much different matter as they had to fight back from a 21-point deficit against SMU on Thursday night before rallying to win in wild fashion.  These two teams had met twice in the regular season with Bethel taking both contests but when you get to this stage, you might as well throw past results out the window.

And Concordia certainly seemed to be of that mindset from the opening tip as senior point guard Taylor Safranski found a gap in the Royals defense and used a burst of speed to shoot through  that gap for an easy lay-up at the 9:49 mark of the opening period and a short, turnaround jumper by strong sophomore forward Maya Metcalf at the 9:05 mark had the Cobbers up 4-2.  Bethel would come right back and wipe that lead away on their subsequent possession as senior point guard Colette Duininck would bury a cold-hearted "3" from the left top area at the 8:41 mark but Concordia was able to steady the ship at this early point and launch a 9-2 push.  Slender junior forward Genevieve Gruba would start this run when she slithered into the paint for a score at the 8:15 mark and a short time later at the 7:33 mark, senior guard Molly Musland would make a hard drive for a lay-up that also drew a foul and her ensuing "and one" got the Cobber lead to 9-5.  Musland would again get sent to the charity stripe after getting fouled at the 7:04 mark and the former LaMoure, ND standout would cash in on both attempts and at the 5:50 mark, Musland would come through again as she was able to knock down a short, turnaround jumper in the lane that now had Concordia up 13-7 but that push that had the home crowd going failed to faze the Royals as they finished off this first period with a surprising 9-0 run.  Slender junior forward Cally Peterson would connect on a lay-up to start this run with 4:51 left and a short time later the former St. Francis standout would come through again for her team as she would snare an offensive rebound of her own miss for a putback with 4:11 left and two free throws by Duininck after she was fouled with 2:23 left had this game leveled at 13.  Then Duininck; the former Central Minnesota Christian standout who helped slay the Gusties just two nights ago down in St. Peter with her three-point prowess, would again unleash terror from behind the arc as she buried a casually cruel bomb from the left corner area with 1:08 left that put Bethel out in front 16-13 that ended the scoring in this topsy-turvy first period.

The Cobbers started the second period determined to get momentum back in their favor.  Senior guard Taya Jeffrey would get things going with a pretty jumper from the free throw line area at the 9:00 mark and a tough score in the paint by Metcalf at the 7:53 mark pushed Concordia back out in front 17-16.  At the 6:18 mark, Jeffrey, the former Albert Lea standout, would strike again with a smart drive into traffic and tough finish that got the Cobbers a 19-16 lead but Bethel was continuing to be a very uncooperative guest and they quickly unleashed a 9-2 run in response.  Peterson would quickly come to the forefront again as well with back-to-back three-point bombs - one from the top of the key at the 5:50 mark that tied the game and then again from the top of the key; this time off of an inbounds pass with 4:57 left - that now had the Royals up 22-19.  With 4:09 left, surprising sophomore reserve guard Alaina Bonacquista would bang home a "3" of her own from the right corner that capped this latest bombardment of the city of Moorhead making it a 25-21 ballgame before Concordia could shore up its defenses.  Musland would connect on a lay-up with 3:45 left that got the Cobbers back to within a single possession and a three-point bomb by lanky sophomore forward Kaia Gack from the left top area with 2:59 left cut the deficit down to one at 27-26.  Bethel would get a bit more breathing room when sophomore reserve point guard Kenzie Lundeen used some deft touch to get a pretty one-handed floater in the lane to go down with 2:37 left but Concordia was quick to counterattack as speedy sophomore reserve point guard Kaitlyn Rohloff would make a quick dart into the lane for a finish with 2:13 left that again had the deficit down to one at 29-28 and with :13.4 left, Safranski in sly fashion stole the ball near midcourt from the Royals Duininck and tried to race in for a lay-up and although the attempt was foiled, the former Fargo Davies standout was fouled in the process and did get two charity stripe shots to go down out of the deal that allowed the Cobbers to take a slim 30-29 lead into the locker room at the halftime intermission in a game that was thus far marked by some unusual and wild momentum swings.  A quick check of the halftime box score showed that Bethel did have an edge on the glass with 22 rebounds to Concordia's 17 but perhaps more importantly the Royals thus far had shot 5-12 from behind the arc at a 41.7% clip and 3-5 for 60% in the second period alone while the Cobbers so far were only 1-7 from downtown for 14.3%.  That plus the fact that the tempo of the game seemed to slightly favor the Royals thus far made Concordia's one-point halftime lead look even more perilous.  

Things would still bounce back and forth between these two squads once the third period was underway.  Bethel would manage to push out in front a 31-30 when Duininck got a pair of free throws to go down after getting fouled at the 9:12 mark but the Cobbers would soon follow suit and take the lead right back on two free throws by Gruba after she was fouled at the 8:56 mark.  The Royals would forge ahead again when junior forward Emily Erickson connected on a short, one-handed floater in the lane at the 8:41 mark but this game was put on even terms at 33 a piece when Concordia's Jeffrey got one free throw to go down after getting fouled at the 8:17 mark.  But it was here where Bethel made its first significant move of the day that had the Cobbers on their heels with a key 9-2 run.  Back-to-back three-point bombs - one by slender senior combo guard/forward Ali Born from the top of the key at the 8:01 mark and the other by Lundeen from the right top area at the 6:45 mark - suddenly had the Royals up by six  at 39-33.  Concordia's Jeffrey would get the deficit trimmed down a bit when she knocked down a pair of free throws after getting fouled at the 5:47 mark but then Bethel's Lundeen would inflict additional pain with another three-point bomb - this one from the left top area at the 5:28 mark - that now pushed the Royals lead to seven at 42-35.  The Cobbers would try and counter as Gack would first drain a "3" of her own from the left top area at the 5:07 mark and Gack's short jumper in the lane off the glass with 4:09 left brought Concordia back to within a single possession down 42-40 but Bethel was quick to respond.  Erickson would come through with back-to-back scores as she would first get a routine score in the paint with 3:55 left and would then follow that up with a short, turnaround jumper that gave the Royals some extra breathing room with a 46-40 advantage.  Undaunted, the Cobbers would try again.  Junior reserve guard Alexa Snesrud would first knock down a jumper from the left wing area with 2:54 left and would follow that up with a pair of free throws after getting fouled with 2:28 left that again had Concordia back to within a single possession down 46-44 and presumably in good shape again.  But unfortunately for the home crowd Bethel had more in store in the final stages of this third period.  Peterson would maneuver into the paint for a score with 2:00 left and with 1:16 left Erickson would use a burst of speed to connect on a lay-up that restored the six-point lead at 50-44 and had the Cobber faithful in the stands grasping for hope.  

Certainly a six-point deficit was far from insurmountable; especially considering what transpired just the other night against SMU and the fact that Concordia kept its opponent scoreless for nearly the first four minutes of the fourth period arguably left a significant window of opportunity available but unfortunately for the Cobbers, they not only missed out on three golden scoring opportunities but also had a key turnover plague their hopes as well.  Concordia finally ended this drought when Gack got a jumper from the right wing area to go down at the 6:54 mark and the Royals efforts appeared to take a hit at the 6:02 mark when Erickson took an inadvertent shot to the head and had to retreat to the bench as she apparently had a contact lens that popped out.  This allowed the Cobbers to get right back to within a single possession as Kaitlyn Rohloff used a burst of speed to connect on a lay-up at the 5:40 mark that cut Bethel's lead to 50-48.  The Royals got their lead to five when All-American fifth-year senior reserve forward Elly Schmitz snared an offensive rebound for a putback that drew a foul in the process and her ensuing "and one" at the 5:15 mark made it a 53-48 game.  But right back came Concordia on their subsequent possession as Safranski would bury a "3" from the right wing area with 4:50 left and had the Cobbers in prime position again down just 53-51 and a tough score in the paint by Metcalf with 3:19 left kept Concordia within a single possession down 55-53 and with a ton of time left to finally get the table turned in this game.  But missed shots and turnovers would haunt the Cobbers at the most critical juncture of this game and this allowed Bethel to get just enough separation exactly when they needed it to seal the deal on this one.  Erickson would get into the paint for a score with 3:03 left that grew the lead to 57-53 and also had the Royals in the bonus as well but with 1:49 left, Concordia had another gift presented to it when Gack was fouled but the former Sartell standout couldn't get either free throw attempt to cooperate that would've at least made it a one-possession game again.  And the Royals made them pay dearly for that as Erickson would get fouled with 1:24 left and she would get both free throws to go down which made it a six-point game at 59-53.  The Cobbers would get the deficit cut down to four when Metcalf again muscled into the paint for a score with 1:02 left but now they desperately needed to get a stop of some sort just to have a chance to get it back to a single possession again.  That small window appeared briefly when Bethel's Duininck; who was fouled with :43.2 left, was unable to get either free throw attempt to go down.  Concordia Head Coach Kim Wagers would then call a thirty-second timeout in hopes of dialing up a sure-fire score but two shot attempts on the ensuing possession failed to find their intended mark.  Royals Head Coach Jon Herbrechtsmeyer would then take a thirty-second timeout after his squad secured a steal and with :14.1 left in regulation, Erickson would get one free throw to go down after getting fouled that made it a five-point game at 60-55.  There was still one last wisp of hope left for the Cobbers but the hope soon vaporized when Musland's three-point bomb attempt went awry with :09.8 left.  Bethel's Duininck would get fouled with :08.1 left and there were no mistakes made this time by the seasoned veteran as she got both free throw attempts to go down and although the Cobbers' Wagers would burn another timeout, the damage had already been done as the Royals secured the MIAC Championship Game title with a 62-55 victory.

With the Memorial Auditorium's PA announcer urging fans to take it easy after the final buzzer and The Eagles hit tune playing on the loudspeakers with Glenn Frey urging fans to do just that, the message seemed lost on Concordia players afterward just as it had been last year after they were bounced in the Quarterfinal round.  But at this particular juncture, the pain of coming so close to achieving their goal of winning a MIAC Championship Game title on their home floor and coming up just short made the pain even more acute - especially when you consider that the seniors on this team had to endure MIAC Championship Game losses to GAC in both 2023 and in 2024.  Fortunately, some of that initial pain ebbed with the knowledge that they're not only firmly in the NCAA Tournament but with a high NPI ranking as well, they're in excellent position to host a 1st/2nd round NCAA Pod at Memorial Auditorium starting next Friday evening.  Meanwhile, with all the hoopla going on the floor with the Bethel team and coaches celebrating their latest conquest and preparing to cut down the nets, I was finally able to catch up first with the Royals Erickson who was understandably jubilant after this win.  I asked Erickson what the mindset was for her and her teammates coming into this game today.  "We knew this was going to be a tough game today because we've played them two times before and both of those games went down to the wire just like this one did and I think we came into this game knowing that we had nothing to lose because they were seeded higher than us; they're ranked higher than us.....We can just go out and play our hearts out and this was going to be a great opportunity.  Props to them (Concordia) because they're a really good team......We just knew it was going to be a long four quarters of basketball; it wasn't going to be decided in two quarters or three quarters like previous games like it was against St. Scholastica.....And I think we came in knowing that this is playoff basketball and that anything can happen.  And I think that this was just a great testament to our resilience and to the depth of our bench.....We had some really key shots from some of our bench players and we've just been practicing all year for this moment and it's just amazing."  I then mentioned to Erickson about the physicality aspect of this game because that was going to come to the forefront at some point in this game and that I thought that the Royals weathered the storm reasonably well on this front today.  "Yeah....They (Concordia) have two of the best post players in the nation (Metcalf and Gack); they're both very good and we knew that from having gone up against them two other times this season.  I think that's why in the first half we kind of shied away from the physicality - especially inside because you knew they were going to shot block and Metcalf did but we were able to make the adjustment of doing double moves like "open under" to get them moving because standing still is going in favor of the defense especially with Metcalf."  I also mentioned to Erickson that it's got to be a good feeling knowing that your spot in the NCAA Tournament is assured and now they have a chance to rest up a bit, refuel and get ready for Selection Monday.  "Yeah, it was a really long week (this last week)....We had three really good games where we gave it all every single day.  I mean, we had to go to practice the next day (after a game on the previous night) and that's not we usually have because normally after hard games we get a day off where we get to stretch, we get to rehab, stuff like that.  But each game this week is not guaranteed and I'm just so proud of my teammates so thankful for our coaching and just how we've been able to move together as a group of girls and this very moment is what we've practiced all year for.....It's a long time from October and November and it's just so amazing to see all that hard work come to fruition."  

I was also able to catch up with Bethel's Herbrechtsmeyer afterward who was quite happy and proud with his team's effort on this day.  I mentioned first that I thought that his team's defense on this day really carried the day and paved the way for ultimate victory.  "Well, it always does......We talked at the start of the fourth quarter.....We had wrested the lead away from them and we always talk about defense and toughness are going to carry the day.  And I'll be honest, they're really, really good.  Maya Metcalf is a load.....The freshman guard (Kaitlyn Rohloff) is really good.  They're a really good basketball team and maybe a second weekend NCAA Tournament team.  We just happen to match up to them really well.  Our size can give Metcalf more trouble than any other team in the league and frankly more trouble than most other Division IIIs and that's why, in spite of the losses that they've suffered this year; three of them to us, it's our defensive ability to guard the rim that carried the day."  I also brought up the idea that I thought that Bethel shot the ball really well on this day (a carryover from the previous games with St. Scholastica and GAC perhaps?) - especially from downtown and I wasn't necessarily counting on them to do that on this day but players like Duininck and Peterson really stepped up and delivered some daggers in this game.  " 'Coco' and 'Cal' did but we had a number of players shooting well.....Kenz Lundeen; the scouting report says you can let her shoot and she makes two threes tonight......We're peaking at the right time and our struggles in November were largely because our guards weren't necessarily understanding when and where their three-point shots should come.  We're in month five of the season now.  Everybody understands what a good shot is from a bad shot.  And when you're supposed to take a shot and what shots are the 'good' ones for them.  That leads to high-percentage.  I guess high-scoring at 62 compared to the 52 the first time we played them here."  I then touched on the road ahead with Herbrechtsmeyer - specifically Selection Monday and the upcoming NCAA Tournament and where they might be heading.  "We plan to host" he deadpanned.  "We were number seventeen in the NPI rankings this morning and we just beat a team in front of us and with our bonus, we have a chance to move into the top sixteen.  The NCAA had better reward that with hosting.  We put in a bid.  We're planning to play at home."  

I also was able to catch up with Concordia's Wagers who was obviously disappointed with the outcome but was also managing to keep a stiff upper lip with Selection Monday and the NCAA Tournament along with a likely hosting of a 1st/2nd round pod as well.  But Wagers was in agreement with my assessment that Bethel's defense on this day was the difference-maker - particularly in the second half.  "Yeah, we couldn't get anything from an execution standpoint offensively and that's what they do - they're a defensive team and they really disrupt timing and they kind of took us out of what we do."  I mentioned to Wagers as well that her team simply seemed unable to find that one "big" bucket or big "3" that might've somehow turned the tide for them when they needed it most.  "Yeah, they made a couple of big shots - especially late in the second half and we just couldn't get them to fall which happens when the ball just doesn't bounce your way and it's frustrating.......But I'm super-proud of our group and our regular season and it's really fun to see this big crowd here and it's disappointing that we didn't play better but we're excited because we still have basketball to play."  I also asked Wagers about the road ahead - Selection Monday and the upcoming NCAA Tournament where Concordia should still be in an excellent position to host a 1st/2nd round pod at home in Memorial Auditorium.  "Yeah, we're exited either way.....The kids kind of love the travel part of it too" she added with a smile.  More than anything, Wagers and her staff along with the team are just excited at the prospect of playing whether it's at home or somewhere else and, just as important for Wagers, she gets to enjoy at least another week with her team.

The thing for me when I look back on this game (and trust me, I had plenty of time to ponder things on the long drive back down US Highway 10 and the BNSF's Staples Sub mainline) is that even though it was Bethel's defense that carried the day for them, there were still windows of opportunity left for Concordia that might've somehow propelled them over the top.  Down by six at 50-44 to start the fourth period, the fact that the Cobbers held the Royals scoreless for nearly four minutes was big but they HAD to find a way to narrow the gap in this particular time period to at least a single possession that would've at the very least expanded their options down the home stretch.  And the fact that the Cobbers did finally crawl back to within a single possession right around the midway point was another window of opportunity that was there again for them and once again, they never could find that one big bucket - specifically a three-point shot - that could've turned this game on a dime.  And the last thing I want to do on here is pile on any one specific player (and I'm not doing that here either, btw) but those two missed free throw attempts by Gack with 1:49 left were a killer as Concordia was unable to close within a single possession again.  What I'm trying to point out here is that Bethel and the way they play defense can just make your margin for error so small when everything's on the line late in the game and that's precisely what happened to Concordia here and you simply have to tip your cap to the Royals and their defense.  And, as Herbrechtsmeyer said, they may indeed be peaking at precisely the right time.  

And it's even more painful from a Concordia standpoint when you look at the final box score on this one.  Beyond the fact that the Cobbers had the edge in bench points at 20-16 (and even that edge was more or less negated as time wore on) there isn't a whole helluva lot to cheer about.  Bethel owned the boards by a 39-33 count and the Royals also had a whopping 13-4 edge in those all-important "second chance" points.  The Cobbers were also guilty of 14 boo-boos on this day which isn't necessarily a lot but in this type of a bloodbath, those turnovers took their toll.  Inevitably, you also have to point to the three-point shooting aspect and it just wasn't happening for Concordia on this day as they finished going 3-11 from downtown for 27.3%.  And not that Bethel was shooting at a torrid pace from downtown either as they went 8-23 for 34.8% - they didn't have to.  And it wasn't so much the three-point shots that they did make either.  Rather, it's WHEN they made them.  

Balanced scoring also had a big role in Bethel's success on this day as Erickson - once again - always finds a way to show up in the biggest moments and her 15 points paced the Royals on this day but she had plenty of help too as Peterson was right behind with her 14 points and Duininck was spectacular at times on this Saturday as she finished with 12 points.  Gack paced the Cobber attack with her 10 points.

Friday Morning Update On The Bigger Picture And A Look At Saturday's MIAC Championship Game

Simulated NCAA Tournament Field and possible bracket breakdowns (courtesy of Scott Peterson)

 So I wanted to provide something of an update on the bigger picture here this morning after last night's wild action in the MIAC Playoff Semifinals that saw Bethel oust GAC and then Concordia's improbable comeback from a twenty-one point deficit in the third period to overcome SMU.  Down in St. Peter, the Royals were simply too strong down the stretch and their experience paid off as they downed the Gusties 73-66.  In the second game, the Cardinals appeared to have things firmly in control with a twenty-one point lead early in the third period before the Cobbers; behind sophomore forward Maya Metcalf and freshman reserve guard Kaitlyn Rohloff led a surge late in the third period and throughout the fourth as Concordia punched its ticket to the MIAC Championship Game; their third in four years and now will be hosting this game for the first time since the 2012-13 season.  

So what does this mean for the MIAC in terms of the bigger picture - specifically the NCAA Tournament?  Well, you can now pretty much book three teams - Concordia, Bethel and GAC into the Big Dance.  Now, SMU on the other hand could very well be left on the outside looking in on all of this; not so much because of the fact that they fell short last night but rather because of a big result elsewhere - specifically DePauw's huge upset of Denison in one of the NCAC semifinal playoff games last night that put the Tigers, who were on the outside looking in before last night's game, firmly into an at-large bid with a big rise in their NPI ranking that might've otherwise been safely secured by SMU.  Keep in mind that there's still a lot of moving pieces in action both today, tonight and tomorrow but as badly as I would love to see the Cardinals get in, the late slump they had in the last week of the regular season along with two "bad" losses to both St. Kate's and CSB earlier might be too much to overcome in this case.  We'll see.

In any event, this sets up the third meeting tomorrow (Saturday 2-28) between Bethel and Concordia - this one for all the marbles in the MIAC Championship Game.  The Royals won the two previous meetings - the first in Moorhead in a non-conference setting back on 11-25 and then at home in Robertson Center a little more than a month ago on 1-24 - both of which were very tough, hard-fought games that were very close.  Undoubtedly, the Cobbers cannot afford to get themselves into a significant hole like they did last night and whenever you play Bethel - I don't care who you are - you've gotta take care of the rock and you've also gotta box out and you've gotta rebound.  I will say that I think that Concordia is better-equipped to take down the Royals than GAC was simply because of their depth and the physicality/size aspects.  But let's also remember too that Bethel's been here before and they know what this is all about and the Cobbers are going to have to bring their "A" game with them tomorrow if they want to hoist their first MIAC Playoff title since 2011.  

Will be heading up US Highway 10 and the BNSF's Staples Sub mainline this afternoon to Fargo-Moorhead.  This should be a great game tomorrow.  As always, please feel free to fire away with thoughts.  

Thursday Afternoon Update On The Bigger Picture - 2-26-26

 

Simulated NCAA Tournament Field For Thursday 2-26-26 (courtesy Scott Peterson)

So here we are on semifinal Thursday of the MIAC Women's Basketball Playoffs with two great games on tap tonight - Bethel at GAC in the 5:00 PM slot and SMU at Concordia in prime time at 7:00 PM.  Both of these contests should be absolute battles and you know I'm going to be watching both games online.  The winners tonight will meet in the MIAC Championship Game on Saturday at 3:00 PM at the remaining highest-seed location.  

So, while the St. Scholastica - Bethel game that I covered on Tuesday night was a blowout with the Royals advancing, the battle down in Winona on this same night was an absolutely wild affair that I had a feeling it would be - just not in the way it went down.  At the end of the third period, the Pipers seemed to have all but punched their ticket to tonight's semifinal action with a hefty 52-32 lead on the Cardinals and the magical season for SMU that seemed to have so much promise appeared to be going up in flames.  But someone forgot to inform this young Cardinals team of the dire straits they were in and instead they went on an incredible 27-0 blitz in the fourth period; snaring victory from the jaws of almost certain defeat as they advanced to tonight's semifinal action with a 59-52 victory in the unlikeliest fashion.  And, as you can see from the simulated NCAA Tournament bracket (above), SMU is clearly back in the picture for an at-large bid as their NPI ranking took a significant spike after the win.  Now, to be sure, the Cardinals are not a "sure thing" just yet; there's still a lot of moving pieces in a very fluid situation and while a loss to Concordia tonight doesn't necessarily erase them from the picture, the Cardinals will have to keep a wary eye on some of these other bubble teams - particularly out East - to see how they fare tonight and this weekend.  But personally I think the Cardinals will find a way to get in and wouldn't that be incredible to see the MIAC get FOUR teams into the Dance?  

Now, closer to home we know that the WIAC is still going to be a five-bid league and the WIAC Championship Game is set for Friday night as UW-Oshkosh (b'gosh) will host UW-La Crosse with the winner getting the conference's automatic bid.  But what's interesting here is that should the Eagles somehow find a way to pull off a massive upset, that COULD catapult them into one of the top 16 seeds whereby they would get an opportunity to host a 1st/2nd Round NCAA pod at their facility.  We'll just have to see how that all plays out.  Here in the MIAC, you'll see from above where Concordia is in an excellent position right now as a projected number-eleven seed where they would certainly be in position to host a 1st/2nd round NCAA pod at home in Moorhead.  But what happens if they should stumble either tonight or in the MIAC Championship Game?  That's a very good question.  Meanwhile, the ARC appears to be a one-bid league and there's two semifinal games tonight back home in Iowa as well (Luther at Wartburg and Buena Vista at Coe).  And the UMAC will also be a one-bid league but the number-one seed - Bethany Lutheran - was upended at home last night by North Central so now it will all come down to the UMAC Championship Game on Saturday up on the frigid shores of Gitche Gumee with the Rams taking on UW-Superior.  

As always, please feel free to fire away with thoughts.  I hope to be able to provide another update sometime tomorrow.