Quakers Head to Thomas More, Hornets Off to Maryville
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. --- For Lynchburg College, it was a done deal that the Hornets would enter the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament after they hoisted the program's first-ever ODAC championship trophy. But for Guilford College, the good news came on Monday as the top two seeds in the conference postseason are set to represent themselves and the ODAC on the national stage.
The inclusion of Guilford and Lynchburg in the field of 64 marks the fourth straight season two ODAC schools have earned entry. While the Hornets prepare to open their guestbook on the national stage, Guilford will be making its fifth overall appearance including three in the past six years. GC owns a 2-4 record in NCAA tourney play.
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Lynchburg (24-4), champions of the ODAC and owners of a school-record 24 victories, open national competition at Maryville College (Tenn.). Three other automatic qualifiers join the Hornets inside Boydson Baird Gymnasium, including LC's first round opponent in Southern Athletic Association (SAA) champion Birmingham-Southern College (24-3). The other matchup features host and USA South winner Maryville (24-3) and Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) title holder University of Mary Washington (24-4).
LC and BSC are both rookies when it comes to NCAA Tournament action, as a 5:30 p.m. contest on Friday marks the first for both programs. Each enters the first round riding a winning streak, with the Hornets riding a 10-game run and the Panthers on a more modest three-game run. In stark contrast, Mary Washington and Maryville boast a combined 30-30 record in NCAA play. The Eagles own a 15-9 record as they embark on their 10th national appearance, while the host Scots appear in the field for a fifth-straight season and 22nd time overall. They're 15-21 in previous seasons. UMW and MC will break their series' tie at 7:30 p.m. on Friday as both own a victory in two previous meetings.
A win for Lynchburg sets up a familiar versus stranger scenario in the second round. Maryville and LC have never met on the women's basketball court, while UMW holds an 9-4 advantage in 13 previous meetings. That includes a 67-48 victory earlier this season.
Gulford (21-5) is the lone at-large entry in its pod of four teams set to compete at Thomas More's Connor Convocation Center. The University of Mount Union (20-7) earned its place by claiming the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) crown. La Roche College (24-3) is on an 11-game run that includes a victory in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) championship game. Defending national champion Thomas More (27-0) is one of three undefeated teams in the tournament field. The Saints have won 60 straight games including the President's Athletic Conference (PAC) championship.
The Quakers will be meeting Mount Union for the first time on Friday at 5:00 p.m. The Purple Raiders are making their seventh tournament appearance, looking to improve upon a 16-6 record. Nationally top-ranked Thomas More hosts La Roche College in a 7:00 p.m. matchup. The are in the field for a 10th straight year, marking their 14th overall appearance. The Red Hawks are in for a sixth consecutive season, accounting for each of their tournament appearances.
A Quakers' victory over Mount Union sets up a virtual unknown in terms of second round opponents. GC has never faced La Roche and only met Thomas More once. That decision went in the Saints favor, 88-74, at the beginning of the 2002-03 season.
First and second round action takes place March 4-5. The tournament continues with sectional play in the third and quarterfinal rounds March 11-12. The semifinals will be competed March 19th in Columbus, Ohio, at Capital University. A little over two weeks the final two Division III teams will join Division I and Division II for a joint championship experience in Indianapolis on Monday, April 4.
For more information on the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament, go to www.ncaa.com. For more on ODAC women's hoops, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the ODAC's home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com. Don't forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook and follow the ODAC on Twitter at @odacathletics.